Yu-Gi-Oh Resurrection: Castle of Glass
by SougiyaHara
Summary: Today Yugi Mutou died. His adventuresome are only beginning... NOTE: this story is rated M for Mature. It will feature subjects which may not be suitable for all ages, including mild swearing and same-gender relationships. Reader discretion IS ADVISED.
1. Chapter 1

Yugioh: Resurrection

By SougiyaHara

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or any of the characters thereof. This is a non-profit work of fan fiction being written for the love of it.

This is rapidly going to take a left turn at reality, so sit down, relax, and let me tell you a story of somewhere that might've been. It'll look familiar and strange at the same time, but I promise, it's only the beginning of the ride. Here's hoping you enjoy it.

I'd like to give a shout-out to the Egyptian Hieroglyphics Translator/Medu Neter Dictionary. I can't attest for the accuracy of the translations it provides, but it sure looks good on paper, and has been invaluable in creating the ancient Egyptian language that some of the characters in this story use. Translations of the conversations that aren't explained in the story itself will be provided in a glossary at the end of the chapter, which is my cunning way of trying to get you to read the whole story.

 _Part One: Castle of Glass_

 _Take me down to the riverbend_

 _take me down to the fighting end_

 _wash the poison from off my skin_

 _show me how to be whole again_

 _Fly me up on a silver wing_

 _past the black where the sirens sing_

 _warm me up in a nova's glow_

 _and drop me down to the dream below_

 _Cause I'm only a crack in this castle of glass_

 _hardly anything there for you to see..._

-Linkin Park

The last thing Yugi Mutou heard was the scream of airbrakes applied too little, too late. The impact that followed left him weak, dazed, clutching at the ground as a terrible sick pain washed over him.

When it stopped, he held still, waiting to see if anything would follow.

It didn't.

Nothing.

No shouts, no noise of traffic, only silence.

That scared him a little. No; a lot. Where were the people, the passers-by, his friends across the street?

Street.

Before he knew it he was on his feet, frantically looking around while feeling himself all over, checking for blood, bones, anything amiss. All he felt was his own body; all he saw was a misty expanse, devoid of any landmarks or interruptions.

"Please, be at peace. You are no longer in any danger."

"Who-?" Yugi whirled around. "Shadi!"

"I am pleased you remember me, Yugi Mutou." Shadi bowed his head.

"What are you doing here? Where is 'here'? What am I doing here?"

"You might call this Limbo. It is a moment between death and the eternal which has been granted to you as a reward for your deeds. The gods of Egypt are grateful for the return of their child. They cannot reverse your fate, but they can, and do, offer you a choice."

"Death... I'm dead...?"

"Indeed. And I am sorry to be the one who bears such news to you. Your final destination awaits, and I can assure you it is one of reward and not punishment. It is not, however _, Ialu_ \- the Field of Dreams, that place to which the Pharaoh Atem passed. You are not meant for that."

"So... not even now. He really has left me forever." Slowly Yugi sat down. "I guess... I always knew that. Somehow. I hoped I was wrong, but..." he trailed off. "Okay, now what? You said a choice."

"If there was anyone who would deserve to follow the Pharaoh, it would be you, Yugi, but that is only my belief, and belief alone cannot change fate. However, as I mentioned, the gods are not unaware of your actions, nor uncaring. That is why you are here. This one chance they have won for you. You may pass on... or you may return to life, but not your life."

"Not my own life? I don't understand. Do you mean reincarnation?"

"Of a sort. Across the infinite there are many possibilities, a thousand worlds each mirroring the next. Places where things turned on a single life or death- your life or death. It is to one of those places I am empowered to send you, to take up the thread which was broken too soon. A moment of time where a version of you did not survive, where you may yet again release the Pharaoh's soul from his prison of darkness."

"Atem?!"

"He does not know that name. He does not know his history. Caught on the first step of his journey, he is alone once more, his companion's soul fled but the body kept alive. If you accept what the gods offer, make no mistake, great trials will await you. You will be tested in ways you have never dreamt of. It is not your world, and what you remember, past and future alike, may not be the same. Moreover, once you are there, that world will become yours, and with each passing hour those things which did not or have not yet occurred will grow dim in your mind. I do not think you will completely forget what you bring with you, but I make no promises.

"Still, he needs you. Without your light, the Pharaoh is without hope, without hands or voice, adrift in sorrow and despair. If you do this, great trials, great struggles... and great rewards as well, if you are brave enough to seize the reins of destiny and make it your own. So what then will you answer, Yugi Mutou?"

Wrapping his arms around himself, Yugi struggled to accept what Shadi was saying. _Dead... Mom, Grandpa, Jono, Honda, Bakura... Anzu... I'm so sorry..._

 _I can't help them. I'll never see them again. All I can do is hope they find strength in their memories of our friendship, our life together, and go on._

 _But Atem... he said Atem needs me. This isn't the Spirit I know, but if I can help HIM, help the other world's versions of my friends and family, then this second chance would mean something._ Aloud he said, "I'll do it. Send me there... to the new world. To the Pharaoh."

The faintest smile. "Then go, Yugi Mutou, and may your courage serve you well. The blessings of the gods of Khemet upon you, for surely you will need them." Raising a hand, Shadi placed it on Yugi's chest and _pushed-_

Blackness. It felt like floating in a sea of night, both weightless and difficult to move against at the same time. His breathing, his heartbeat, wind and thunder in his ears. A void poised to swallow him forever.

"...gi?"

Desperately Yugi grabbed at that sound, if sound it was, if it was real and not imagined. He tried to push or pull or swim or something, anything, towards it, but where, where was it?

"...hear me?"

 _Grandpa! That's Grandpa! Yes, I hear you, I'm here!_

"I'm... beautiful day out..."

 _Keep talking, please, I can hear you, I can!_

"...flowers..."

 _Is it louder this way? I can't tell._

"Joey and Serenity were... they brought me lunch from that..."

 _Who're THEY? Never mind, it IS louder! Grandpa, I'm coming! Don't give up on me yet._ Clenching his teeth, Yugi dragged himself along trying to get closer to the sound, and was there light now? Was the dark lessening ahead of him? Were there-yes, other sounds, faint, echoing, a steady rhythm of beeps counterpointed by a second slower beat that made him think crazily for a moment of milkshakes. Like a straw pulling against the bottom of the glass when you try to get that one last bit.

No, not pulling, pushing, and suddenly he felt vaguely nauseous; something caught in his throat, choking him. The beeping was changing, getting louder, one last effort and he sensed something snap ahead of him-

"The EEG!" A new voice, a woman's. "Something's happening- Mr. Moto, Solomon, stay right here with him- Doctor! Doctor!" Running feet. With the last bit of his strength Yugi opened his eyes and immediately regretted it. _Light! God, too bright!_ He blinked fiercely, vision blurring with involuntary tears. He tried to say something, ask for the light to be turned off for a moment, but only made a groaning sound. There was something in his mouth, blocking it. Yugi fought not to panic as a low whoosh sounded and air rushed into him.

 _What IS this-!_

One hand groped in cloth blindly, searching for something to hold onto. Two hands folded around it almost at once, lifting it. "Yugi! Yugi, it's Grandpa. I'm here," then _, "Sore wa ojichan, watashi wa koko ni iru. Ne, Yugi-chan..."_

 _Grandpa... you haven't called me 'chan' since I was a baby. You must really be worried..._ Concentrating, Yugi squeezed the hands holding his. It felt horribly weak, but the hands on his tightened in response. _Wait, was he speaking English? Grandpa hardly ever speaks English unless Professor Hopkins is visiting... and did they say Solomon? Moto? Am I in America?_

"Excuse me please," a third voice, male, authoritative. The hands holding him shifted to a different angle and a shadow fell over Yugi, blocking the light for a blissful moment. It didn't last; an even brighter light blazed into view, flicking back and forth, and Yugi whined a protest, hating the sound but unable to make any other complaint. "Pupils reactive, patient appears responsive- Nurse, let me see that EEG printout. And turn the light out over the bed for a moment."

 _Thank you, whoever you are._ Yugi relaxed as the brightness diminished to barely tolerable. Things began to swim into focus: plain light green walls, a huge bank of machines on his left with a man and woman staring at them, and on his right...

A wonderful, familiar sight at last. His grandfather, smiling through tears.

"This is impossible..." the woman muttered, barely loud enough for Yugi to hear it. "I thought he was supposed to be in a persistent veg-"

"Looks like our patient is more persistent than our diagnosis." The man turned and bent over Yugi, revealing a middle-aged gentleman with greying hair, smiling reassuringly. "Mr. Moto, I'm Dr. Greenway, and I've been in charge of your case since you were admitted. You've survived a very bad accident, but you were having a little trouble breathing on your own, so we put you on a ventilator. There's a tube in your throat feeding you air; that's why you can't talk. I know it's uncomfortable, so if it's okay with you we can try taking it out and see how you do. Are you on board with me?"

Yugi nodded.

"Great. We're going to have to get set up for it. It may be a little uncomfortable-"

 _Which means hurts like hell, okay, I got it._

"-But if everything goes well you'll be talking up a storm by this afternoon. The first part is changing your vent settings to see if you're comfortable breathing more or less on your own, with just a little help on our end. We'll give that about an hour. If your oxygen levels stay stable, we can try taking you completely off the machine."

It wasn't as bad as Yugi'd thought. The worst part was after the suctioning to clear the tube. the moment they asked him to cough, and as he did so the tube was removed. The cough turned into a gag, then a fit of coughing that left him seeing stars briefly, but when it quieted the feeling of cool air in his throat made it all worthwhile.

Dr. Greenway watched Yugi closely for several minutes before smiling and nodding. "I think we're good. We'll keep a CPAP close by in case you feel any discomfort. How's that throat? Can you say something for me?"

"Good-" Yugi swallowed. "Morning?" His voice cracked and faded, but he could talk, and it was the second best thing that'd happened today.

"That's right, it is morning. Now, there's a clock over on the far wall behind me. If you can see it, can you tell me the time?"

Yugi squinted. "-'leven..."

"Good, it's just eleven, you're on the money. How about your name?"

"Yu... gi. Yugi Mu-" he caught himself, clearing his throat. "Yugi Moto."

"That is terrific." Greenway nodded again. "Now, I'm going to be bringing in a colleague of mine, a Dr. Chang, and he's going to be asking you a few questions, getting you to help him with some exercises, so we can get an idea how to progress from here. We'll be back in a little while. You just do a little catching up with your grandfather while you wait."

As soon as the door closed, Yugi turned inquiring eyes to his grandfather. "Where-?"

"Domino Center for Intensive Care. You remember, this is where they had me during Duelist Kingdom. They wanted to fly you out to... to a long term care facility... but I put my foot down. I thought maybe being in familiar surroundings would help, somehow."

"Why.. 'm here?"

"You don't remember?"

"Not sure... what I remember." _And that's the truth too._

"Someone stole..." Solomon inched forward, whispered, "The Millennium Puzzle." He sat back. "You chased after them and got trapped in a burning warehouse."

 _A warehouse? No Otogi, no Black Crown Game Shop?_

"Joey and Tristan tried to break down the door, but something was blocking it. By the time they found another way in and got to you, you'd collapsed. You... you weren't breathing. They resuscitated you in the ambulance, but you were unresponsive. The doctors said it was a coma brought on by lack of oxygen. They told me if you recovered... there'd probably be brain damage. That was two weeks ago."

"Two weeks?!"

"We've all been taking turns sitting with you, talking to you. We had to believe you'd get better."

That stung. _Grandpa... how do I tell you I didn't get better? No... HE didn't get better; the other Yugi, the one whose life I'm living now. How do I tell you your grandson died?_

 _I can't. You either wouldn't believe me or it'd break your heart. It doesn't matter anyway, because I'm Yugi, I'm still Yugi, you're still Gramps. The man that raised me and taught me how to love games, who gave me that mysterious Egyptian box-_

 _Box._

 _THE PUZZLE!_

"Grandpa, where's the Puzzle?"

"I have it locked up in the safe back home. For the first few days I left it here, but when... when it didn't seem like you'd be waking up soon..." the old man heaved a sigh. "I thought it might be best to put it somewhere else."

"Can you bring it to me later?"

"Of course."

-End Chapter 1-


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the afternoon consisted of doctor after doctor trooping in to poke, prod and question, all with smiles and encouragement. It left Yugi with the strong impression most of them didn't even work there. _Just what I need, another reputation for weird things happening when I'm around. At least this will die down when I go home, I hope._ When yet another knock on the door sounded, he didn't even bother to look up. "Come in."

"Yuge?" The voice- hesitant, the wrong accent, but so familiar- immediately got Yugi's attention. "Hey!" he said happily, struggling to sit up straighter. The next moment he _was_ sitting up, mostly because a pair of arms were crushing him to a slender chest. "Oof! Ack!"

"Oh man-"

"Jo- Joey, you're squishing me!"

"Huh? Oh yeah. *heh* Sorry 'bout dat." Immediately the grip loosened and Yugi was finally able to look up into his best friend's face. Same fall of dirty blond hair, same hazel eyes, tears glittering, and Yugi gave up and hugged Joey again, starting to cry himself.

"Hey, shrimp, how's it hangin'?" Low in his ear, trying to be casual, and Yugi instantly thumped Joey in the ribs before letting go and swiping at his face. "S'okay," he replied. "Sorry- the cleaning stuff they use in these rooms... gets in your eyes, huh?"

"Yeah, I must be allergic or somethin'." Joey beamed. "But look who I found outside! Dey din't look busy or nothin', so I dragged 'em along. Da whole gang's here. Tristan, Tèa, Bakura, some guy with a dice hangin' from one ear-OW! Quit it." He rubbed the back of his head.

"That's 'Duke', you dog," Devlin groused, retrieving the die he'd hit Joey with.

"Whatever. Aaand- surprise! Dis gorgeous lady here!" Joey stood up to reveal-

 _Shizuka! No, no, it's Serenity. Hey, but, why is she in a wheelchair? Her eyes aren't bandaged... has she not had the operation yet?_

"Hello, Yugi."

"Hi there. What are you doing out of the hospital?"

"Practicing my magic trick."

"Huh?"

With a smile the young girl slowly stood up, leaning on the arms of her brother, and took a few steps. "Look!"

"Ain't she great? Big round of applause, folks, for Serenity Wheeler, next Olympic marathoner!"

"Oh Joey, I am not." Serenity sat back down. "But, see, my legs are already getting stronger. I've been working hard every day getting ready. I wanted to show off for the guy who helped my big brother win the money for my operation."

"The doctors say Serenity will be up and walking full-time in just a few months," Tristan added, "probably with crutches, but she might be able to ditch those by the end of the year."

"That's terrific!" Yugi beamed at the group.

"When ya get outta here, gotta warn ya, Mom and Dad are plannin' the biggest backyard barbeque this side of 'Grillmasters'." Joey grinned and gave Yugi a thumbs-up. "An' yanno my Dad does some pretty impressive steaks, so ya better bring a big appetite.".

"Um... yeah. That might not be for a while." _Parents still together. Roll with it._ "They haven't even started talking about discharging me. I'm pretty sure they want to run every test in the world plus some they made up before that happens. I'm starting to think my name is 'Lab Rat', not Yugi."

"Just say the word, bro, and we'll stage a daring daylight intervention," Tristan joked.

"Don't tempt me! Out of here would be great. Everyone's been nice to me, but I want to go home and sleep in my own bed so bad. Don't believe what you see on TV- this place is never that quiet. Besides, I know Grandpa's been worrying himself sick, and you guys too." Yugi lowered his head. "I'm so sorry. I never meant any of you to be hurt like this."

"Honestly, we're just fair chuffed to see you awake." Bakura moved forward to take Yugi's hand. The moment he did, Yugi felt an odd coolness run through him. Bakura's grip tightened, and something in his eyes changed; wary, intrigued, a trifle amused. "Yes, very pleased," he continued, and this time Yugi heard the faintest edge in his voice, an edge Ryou Bakura had never possessed.

But the Spirit of the Ring was another matter.

 _Does HE know? I felt something; I think he did too._

As if in answer, Bakura leaned in, resting his forehead to Yugi's in an affectionate gesture that put him close enough to hide a whisper. "We need to talk. Don't be afraid. I swear I mean no harm."

 _Oh THAT'S a switch. Or is he trying to play me? No way of knowing. Guess I'll have to wait till we've had that talk._

"Hey, guys, no fair hogging." Tèa playfully shoved Bakura and Joey aside, taking a seat on the edge of the bed and hugging Yugi herself. "So what _have_ they told you? The doctors, I mean."

"Not a lot. I really meant the whole lab rat comment earlier; if I have to tell somebody in a lab coat my name, age, birthday, favorite color and what I had for breakfast this morning one more time, I think I'll scream. But they seem to think I'm making a better recovery than they expected; way better. I'll probably still have to take it easy for a while when I do go home."

"Don't bet on it. Physical therapy is now your bestie." Serenity nodded wisely. "I'm an expert. They'll probably put you into an exercise program for a couple of months, and you are so going to hate your therapist."

"Don't worry about a thing." Tèa smoothed Yugi's bangs out of his face. "Remember, we're all right here, and anything you or your Grandpa needs, you just ask."

"Thanks, guys..." Yugi shook his head. "I don't know how to say how much I appreciate you all."

"Hey, no prob, man." Tristan held up one hand. "The ink may fade..."

"But our friendship never will."

"You got it!"

Later that evening Solomon brought Yugi several things; some books, two of his favorite hand-held games, a handful of get-well cards from his other classmates... and a carefully wrapped bundle, passed over with a wink and a nod.

It was hard to wait until things grew quiet (or as quiet as they ever did on this floor) but Yugi bided his time. Partly due to caution- the last thing he wanted any of the staff to see was him talking (apparently) to himself, and partly...

 _If the Spirit of the Ring noticed something's different about me, the Pharaoh will too. I'm not so sure how that'll go over. Let's hope he's not in the mood for a Game of Darkness._

Taking a deep breath, Yugi unwrapped the bundle. He let his fingers wander over the familiar golden shape. At first it was cold, heavy, unyielding, like any other piece of metal, and his heart sank. _It didn't ever feel like this before. Please don't tell me I'm going to have to break it apart and reassemble it._

 _C'mon, Puzzle, don't you know me? Am... Am I not the one you want? Am I not worthy any more? That's going to be a huge problem if I'm supposed to-_

The faintest wink of light shimmered into being, ran over the surface of the Puzzle like water, centering on the Eye symbol. In an instant it grew warmer, lighter in his grasp, and the softest vibration brushed his palms.

 _Like it's powering up, or... purring? Weird._

Somewhere deep inside him, a door long closed opened.

 _Yes!_

Lying back, Yugi rested the Puzzle on his chest and closed his eyes, letting himself fall into that place that wasn't a place within him. Cool darkness met his bare feet as he stood between two rooms, two doorways, one showing a reflection of his room at the Game Shop. He stepped in, looking around, feeling reassured as he did. Everything in its place, old and new alike; his toys, his games, his models, his posters, bright and welcoming.

But there was no sense of anyone else there. He might've been the only being here, the first to ever be here. That worried him. Squaring his shoulders, the walked back out and stood looking at the other door, this one set in a grim grey stone wall, the Wdjat Eye symbol bold in its center seeming to glare at him.

The Pharaoh's room.

 _What do I call him? Does he even know he's a Pharaoh right now?_ Yugi racked his brain _. It was after the hospital when we visited the museum and saw the Tablet of Memories... better just call him 'other me' for now. Or 'Spirit'. That should be safe enough._

"Um, hello?" Yugi pushed lightly at the banded door. It didn't budge. "Other me, are you there?"

Silence. A shiver ran through Yugi and he stepped back. Silence, yes, but all at once the air around him held a sense of tension. It felt like a tomb now, the walls closing about him, crushing out the light.

 _No, you don't scare me. I refuse to be afraid._

"Spirit-"

"Who are you." Not a question, a demand. Directly behind him, angry and not bothering to hide it. Turning, Yugi kept his hands at his side, trying not to look threatening, to face the speaker.

So well-known; so alien. That expression of barely repressed rage, of indignation and contempt, had never been leveled at him. Yugi understood why Mai had teased once about 'killer's eyes'. The young man staring at him could and would strike him down just for being there, if it suited him. His eyes were crimson _(red eyes? Since when?)_ and deadly, every inch the King he didn't even know he was.

Those eyes widened for a second in surprise when the other got a good look at him, then narrowed as the anger returned tenfold. "Answer! What madness is this? You dare come here in that facade?"

"Wait, please, let me explain-"

"A delusion explain itself? What a novel idea. Or if not a delusion, an intruder with poor judgement, if you believe that shape will offer you protection from me." Gold light flared on the Spirit's forehead. "Begone, whatever you are."

"I'm not a 'whatever'," Yugi answered carefully. "I'm Yugi."

"Impossible. Partner is..." the Spirit stopped. "Yugi is dead," he continued in a low tone. "I felt his soul, his light, wink out. So you, whomever you are, are a liar."

"I'm not lying, and I can prove it. Come out of the Puzzle into the real world and see for yourself."

"I'm under no obligation to do anything you ask. You are not welcome here. Go now, or I will destroy you."

"In a Game of Darkness? Fine. I agree."

The dumbfounded look that came onto the Spirit's features would've been funny any other time. Now it only meant he was off-guard, and Yugi braced for retaliation. Instead, the other folded his arms and gave Yugi a long, thoughtful stare, measuring him. At last he nodded. "As you wish. We'll make it simple. A riddle game. If I win, your soul will be devoured by your greatest fears. If you win, which I doubt-"

"If I win," Yugi interjected, "you'l do as I ask: come out of the Puzzle and see what's going on in the mortal world. Agreed?"

"Agreed. I'll go first." The Spirit smiled, thin and mocking. "Be warned, I will give you only three minutes to answer. Here is my question: I am free for the taking through all your life, though given but once at birth. I am less than nothing in weight, but will fell the strongest if held. What am I?"

"That's it? No hint?!"

"You're lucky I consented to this at all. You're also wasting time."

"Okay, okay." _Think, Yugi. Something you take freely all your life, but it's given to you only once, when you're born. A name? No... a name doesn't have weight, but nothing happens if you hold it._

"Two minutes."

"Thanks for the countdown. No pressure, huh?" _Gotta concentrate. He's trying to rattle me... and it's working. Argh, I hate riddles!_

"One minute, thirty seconds."

"Come on! How can you tell time here? You don't even have an hourglass or a clock!" _Come ON, ignore him, go over it again. Freely taken in life, given at birth, no weight, beats the strongest when held..._

"Thirty seconds to live, imposter. Any last words? A plea for mercy, perhaps?"

 _I'm not gonna waste my breath arguing- WAIT!_

"Breath! The answer is breath! You take your first breath when you're born, you breathe all your life, a breath is just air so it doesn't weigh anything, but if you hold it too long you pass out!"

"Hmph. All right, you have some wit about you. Of course, if you're only a figment of my imagination, you would naturally know the answer, since I know it."

"You are really hard to debate with, aren't you. Is it my turn?"

"Yes. Ask, if you dare."

"Okay. Here goes. Lighter than what I'm made of, more of me's hidden than seen. I'm the bane of mariners, a dagger within the sea. Who am I?"

The Spirit's brow creased. "Lighter, hidden... mariner's bane..."

"Not to interrupt, but how am I supposed to know when your three minutes are up?"

The other young man smirked. "Did I mention anything about how long I have to guess?"

"Wha-" Yugi scowled. "You're not playing fair!"

"And why should that matter to you, indignant little phantom? This is my game you're playing, and my rules."

For a moment Yugi wanted to slap him. Frustration and anger banished any hesitation. "Then this game is over. If you're not brave enough to face me in an even contest, then you're not worth my time. Stay in here and rot for all I care. Maybe in a few hundred years you'll remember your sense of pride and honor." He spun on his heels.

"You're going nowhere." A hand fell on Yugi's shoulder, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. "No one accuses me of such things. No one."

"Really?" Yugi shot a glare back at the Spirit. "Ice."

"What?"

"The answer is ice. And you didn't know it. So how could I be just a figment of your imagination? By your own logic, what you know, I know, and vice versa. That means I'm a real person. And as for not leaving, you can't keep me here if I don't want to be kept." Closing his eyes, Yugi concentrated, reopened them to his hospital room's ceiling. He sat up and let the Puzzle slide off into the sheets. "It's my Puzzle too, you know," he whispered, "and it's my body."

A flicker of motion at the edge of his vision. Startled, Yugi looked up to find the Spirit's translucent form at the bedside. Not looking at him; looking all around the room, taking in everything, incredulous, then slowly, slowly accepting. "You're... real."

"Yes. I am."

"Who are you?" Puzzlement this time.

"My name is Yugi. Yugi Mutou. I'm eighteen years old and I come from Domino City, Tokyo Prefecture, on the island of Honshu in Japan."

"Mutou..."

"Yeah. Not Moto. But I guess I have to get used to that. I'm kind of here to stay."

"Stay? Unacceptable."

"Ah, you don't have anything to say about it, sorry. Neither do I, any more. It was a one time decision- no reset, no call backs, no do overs."

The Spirit snarled. "You are an interloper in the body of my partner! I won't allow it!"

"Listen, I'm sorry, like I said, but being mad at me is not going to change this. Unless you want me to jump off a building or something, I can't leave. This is my life now. I was given a choice, I chose this."

"A choice? Who gave you that choice?"

"Shadi."

"The man who holds the Millennium Key?"

"That's him."

"So I am to welcome you with open arms, forgetting all about my Yugi? Is that the intention?"

"I didn't say that!"

"You didn't have to. It seems Shadi has decided for himself what is best for me, and he will find that was an unfortunate decision." The Spirit turned his back. "You are not my partner, and I want nothing to do with you. Stay out of our Soul Rooms." He faded from view, leaving Yugi alone.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, Mr. Moto, I have some good news for you."

"Could you call me 'Yugi', please, Dr. Greenway? Every time you say 'mister' I start looking for my grandpa."

The older man laughed. "Of course. All right, Yugi, let's go over a couple of things. First of all, your recovery is nothing short of miraculous- and I have to tell you, we medical folks hate to use that word. We much prefer 'misdiagnosis'. That implies we just made a normal human error of judgment, rather than there being something mystical going on.

"Normally speaking, when someone emerges from a coma after brain trauma, there's a period of PTA- that's Post Traumatic Amnesia, characterized by disorientation as to date, time and place, as well as confusion about identity. You've skipped that almost totally, along with having to relearn things like sitting up, bathing, dressing, walking, and eating, to name a few. You, sir, are a gold medalist in the Brain Recovery Olympics."

Yugi laughed. "That actually makes me feel pretty good."

"I'm glad to hear it! This is the point, though, where I have to talk to you about the downside. Our best guess is that you weren't breathing for at least six minutes before the paramedics got you resuscitated. That's the accepted cutoff point where brain death begins to occur, and that always results in some kind of impairment. When it surfaces- when, not if- you're going to have to work around those defects, learn to recognize them and compensate. My best guess is that most of your issues will be with memory. It can be weeks or months coming back to pre-accident levels, and some things may never come back or come back differently. We call that confabulation. Your mind likes everything neat and orderly, so when it finds a gap where it knows something should be, your imagination gets to work and fills the gap or covers it up. All we can do at this point is wait and see, but I've got my fingers crossed.

"More important in your case is the physical issue. Prolonged bed rest may sound great, but day after day of total inactivity is not so good from a medical standpoint. General rule is every day spent unconscious requires one month of rehab, so two weeks in bed equals a year of physical therapy. You're beating the curve on that too. We're going to start you off with two months of PT, twice a week here at the Center, to help you recover lost muscle tone and stamina. Now: with all that said, how do you feel about going home tomorrow?"

"That would be great!"

"Just the words I was hoping to hear. Your grandpa's coming in later this afternoon and I'm going to go over all this with him, as well as a few other things he'll need to know in order to help you recover. I understand he's your sole guardian; you two must be pretty close."

 _Sole guardian-?! What about Mom?! Is she- she must be..._ Yugi put his head down. _It's just me and Grandpa then..._

"Something wrong?"

"No, I, well, maybe. I... think I just hit one of those confabulation things... I could've sworn my mom... I was wondering why she wasn't here."

Dr. Greenway smiled gently and patted Yugi's hand. "Don't worry about it. Strangely enough, I'm glad that happened while you're still here. It proves my point, and I'm right here to reassure you that you're not losing your mind; far from it. You're _findin_ g your mind." He stood up. "If you don't have any questions, I've been keeping one of your friends waiting way too long. I'm sure you'd appreciate it if I stopped talking your ear off and let you start sharing the good news." Walking to the door, he opened it. "He's all yours."

"Thank you so much." Bakura walked in, carrying a small pot of flowers, and set them on the windowsill before giving Yugi a sunny smile. "Good afternoon! How are you doing?"

"Fine," Yugi answered. "Please don't kill me, I have serious objections to being dead right now."

"Why, what a thing to say! Is it the flowers? Thought you liked chrysanthemums. After all, they do stand for purity and trust, don't they?"

"That's something I'm not accustomed to associating with you. And I'm not talking about Bakura."

"But we are talking about Bakura." The voice lowered, roughened, taking on a wry note. "Both of us, old and new. Sorry, though; didn't catch your name."

"Yugi. Same as it's always been."

"Interesting." The other boy moved over, sitting at the foot of the bed, and as he did a golden medallion faded into view on his chest. Yugi couldn't repress a small shudder at the sight of the Ring. "Something displeases you?"

"You already know what displeases me."

 _/No, actually we don't./_

Yugi's head snapped around to his right. A translucent form stood there, studying him curiously. "Bakura?!" he exclaimed.

 _/Yes. And it's wonderful that you can see and hear me. We were a bit worried about that, Kage and I./_

"Kage?"

The boy wearing the Millennium Ring raised a hand. "Easier that way, since my original name was also Bakura."

Yugi's eyes moved from one to the other. "I... am way, way out of the loop on this one. You two- you're on good terms?"

 _/A spot rocky at first, but once he settled down we've been, dare I say it, thick as thieves./_ Bakura laughed.

"Enough with the jokes, Ryo. Now we begin to unravel the knot. You were just wandering along and stepped into the nearest vacant body, did you, 'Yugi'?"

"You don't have to say it like that. That's not it at all. I was sent here."

"By?"

"I can tell already this is going to get old. -By Shadi."

Both Kage and Bakura stiffened. "The man-"

 _/-From Duelist Kingdom? The one who gave Pegasus the Eye?/_

"Yes. He came to me when I..." so hard to say the words still. "When I died."

 _/Died?! What happened?/_ Bakura stepped closer, concerned.

"I was on my way to meet Jono and Honda for a burger- I'd gotten off the bus, they were waiting across the street. I started through the crosswalk, they were yelling at me, I heard this awful noise like tires screeching and-" Yugi stopped. "I guess maybe someone ran the signal," he finished.

 _/Oh, I.../_ Bakura's hand rested on Yugi's shoulder, more a sense of pressure than a real human touch, but reassuring all the same. _/I am SO SORRY. Jono and Honda... that would be Joey and Tristan, I take it./_

Yugi just nodded.

"That answers quite a few questions," Kage muttered. "I sensed something different about you when we met, yet the overall aura of your soul was the same. You are simply another Yugi from a different might-have-been. Fascinating."

 _/Kage, really! You're talking about him as if he were a particularly intriguing new lock you fancied picking. Here, let ME take over. You're horrible with people./_ Bakura's body became more solid as Kage's faded. "I really am sorry. This must be dreadful for you. I mean, yes, you're alive again, but none of us are quite the same, are we?" He took a seat on the bedside and tucked an arm around Yugi's shoulders. "Tell us what we can do to help."

"You already are." Yugi leaned in, dropping his head on Bakura's chest, heaved a sigh of relief. "It's rougher than I thought."

Bakura made an impatient little noise. "You're still Yugi, and no matter what, you're still my friend. I think you need friends more now than you ever did before."

"You're right. And you're especially right about needing friends. The Spirit of the Puzzle isn't happy with me at all."

"Yami? Oh bother. Yes; I can see that quite easily. To be fair, he's having his own issues to deal with, I'll warrant. He can't feel very good about failing to stop what happened."

"Yami... so that's what he's called?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Yeah, of course, I totally don't blame him for how he reacted to me. I just hope he'll eventually give me a chance to explain things. We don't have a lot of time."

 _/Care to explain that?/_ Kage leaned in. _/And while you're at it, why do I make you so uneasy?/_

"It's a long story."

 _/I'm fond of long stories, particularly if they deal with me./_

Yugi chuckled a little. "All right, here goes. I'll try to keep it quick. I can go into more details later if you want. Where I first came from, you weren't a friend, you were an enemy. You wanted to steal all the Millennium Items by any means necessary. And, um, you weren't really you. You were sort of an avatar for an evil god. There wasn't much left of your human spirit at all, and eventually what _was_ left was discarded and destroyed."

Kage blinked. _/...That would definitely put me in a bad mood. And explain your reactions. My apologies./_ He spread his hands. _/As you can surmise, I'm not inclined in any of those directions at all./_

"I can tell. That Spirit of the Ring used Bakura to hide behind, and didn't hesitate to threaten him or put him in danger if it accomplished a goal. And he never, never would've let Bakura's spirit out of his grasp to talk to anyone. Just the fact you are both talking to me is proof you're not the same. Now, before I get into the whole 'time left' thing, can you tell me, has Kaiba announced a new tournament, one held here in Domino?"

"Nothing official," Bakura replied, "but there are rumors flying like raindrops in a hurricane. Personally I think he's holding off until you're out of hospital. Can't miss his chance to challenge you and reclaim his rightful title as King of Games blah blah blah. Is there more to it than that?"

"There was, in my last life. This could be the start of unlocking Yami's missing memories."

 _/Now THAT I would be interested in. If it reveals more about HIS past, perhaps.../_

"Perhaps yours as well!" Bakura turned to Yugi. "Kage has no real idea of who he is either. His name, certain skills that lead us to believe he might've been a thief, and a sense that he and Yami knew one another; companions, maybe even friends. That's all we can go on- oh, and what Pegasus told us about the origins of Duel Monsters and where he got the Eye after Duelist Kingdom ended."

"The name of the tournament should be Battle City. It'll be taking place all over Domino, using a brand-new fully portable Duel Disk system that Kaiba will make available to all qualifying Duelists. The part that's important to us, to Yami, is not only the clues to his past; someone is going to use the tournament as a way of tracking him down and killing him."

"What?!"

 _/The hell?!/_

 _/I think NOT!/_

Yugi yelped. "Aagh!- Hey, a little warning would be nice if you're going to join the conversation."

 _/I owe you no explanations nor any courtesies. Is one kind to the dust beneath one's feet?/_

Slumping, Yugi directed a woebegone look at Bakura and Kage in turn. "See what I mean?"

Kage slapped a palm to his forehead. _/Tayi hunamos Yami, ona asoput iriru nefrun genix ntek./_

 _/Kage! Smen rexntow iny ona. Ta shi xoto derderi nis io./_

 _/Xoto derderi ewi ewsebru inan sair ohir rekhaxt nis doi./_

The Eye flared to life on Yami's forehead as he scowled. _/Ntek asoput io.../_

 _/Bowmaa shi nefrun gausi djet./_ The Ring lit up as well. _/Poibonef ntek cidib io nis seger fy amune?/_

"Is... is that Egyptian?" Yugi whispered to Bakura.

"Pretty sure it is, yes," Bakura whispered back. "They do that a lot. It's rude, but lack of manners doesn't seem to matter to these two."

With a deep sigh, Yami finally held up a hand. _/Peace between us. Your counsel has always been good before./_ To Yugi he said, _/Speak; I listen./_

"It's like I said. Someone who hates you and wants your power- yours, not the power of the Items- will try to use Kaiba's tournament to you and kill you, if things stay the same here as they did where I came from before. So far, I admit, some of the differences have been really, really different, but there are more similarities than differences. Can you afford to assume that Kaiba's tournament will also be different?"

 _/No. I can't./_ Yami studied Yugi a moment. _/At this time, you have as much to lose as I do. They can't kill me without killing you, since I reside within the body you've usur- you've claimed./_

"Yes, I do have a lot to lose. But you have everything to gain." Spreading his hands, Yugi continued, "I'm not asking you to take everything I say as... as fixed, immutable. I'm not asking you to like me. It's pretty plain what you think of me. But please, please... promise me you'll listen to me without prejudice, if you can. I'm trying to help you- whether you think it's for selfish reasons or not doesn't matter. We don't have years or even months to work this out. I was told my memories of the life I left behind would begin fading with every day I live my new life. If they fade enough, they'll be of no use to anyone, and there are things you've just got to know in order to be ready. It's like a map. Even if the map is out of date by the time you get it, at least it can give you some idea of the direction you have to move in to get where you're going."

Yami mulled that over, then slowly nodded _. /It is a reasonable request, given what you've said. I don't feel any deceit in you. Very well; I'll do my best to pay heed without rancor. But I still don't recognize you as my partner, and I will not Duel with you. If there are battles to be fought, I will fight them, and you will stay out of them. I want to be involved with you as little as possible./_

"I can work with that."

 _/Then we have an accord. This person you're speaking of; who is he?/_

"His name's Marik. HIs people are part of an ancient legacy to protect the Millennium Items and await the coming of... of their king. Their Pharaoh."

 _/Is that what I am?!/_ Sudden eagerness filled Yami's expression. _/A Pharaoh?/_

"Yes. Yes, you are. Their legends tell them you'll return, and that you'll carry certain tokens to prove who you are. Marik has a grudge against you because of those legends. He never wanted to be a Gravekeeper, but he was forced into it. His hate and resentment all focused on the person he came to believe was responsible: the Pharaoh. So, how does he get revenge? He gets rid of you.

"Once he destroys you, he'll claim your power, gather the tokens he needs and all of the Items, and become the new Pharaoh. At that point he'll take over the world. Game over. He wins."

 _/How do I know this is true here?/_

"The other Gravekeepers don't believe Marik's right. One of their representatives is coming here, to Domino, with an exhibit of antiquities."

"Wait, wait! There's an Egyptian exhibition setting up right now at the Domino City Museum! It's in partnership with the Museum of Cairo! We'd been planning to go when it officially opens tomorrow." Bakura all but bounced up and down. "Is that the one?"

"Yes! And that means Kaiba's already seen the Tablet of the Pharaoh's Memories. It shows a battle between the Pharaoh and a priest. They're battling using monsters that look like Duel Monsters. The Pharaoh's creature looks like the Dark Magician... and I bet you can guess what the priest's monster is."

 _/The Blue-Eyes White Dragon,/_ Kage whispered _. /Kaiba is... a reincarnation of that ancient priest?/_

"Yep. Of course, he doesn't believe it for a second. But Ishizu- that's the lady hosting the exhibit- has given him something to persuade him to hold this tournament. An all-powerful Duel Monster card, one of only three in the whole world. Pegasus made them, but they were too powerful for him to control. He sent them to Egypt to be hidden away. They're called the God Monsters, or the God Cards. Those are the tokens the Pharaoh needs to demonstrate his identity, and Marik already has two of them. He has to claim all three of them, and the only way to claim them-"

 _/Is to participate in Kaiba's tournament. -What are these monsters named?/_

"There's-" Yugi stopped. "They're-" Blank. For a moment images welled up in his mind; crimson coils, flames, a towering dark figure, but the second he reached for them they vanished, leaving only a void. "I don't know," he whispered, starting to shake. "I don't remember!"

"Yugi, easy, it's all right," Bakura said, taking hold of the other boy's shoulders. "Calm down."

"No it's not! It's too soon! I can't be forgetting this so easily! Not after all the trouble we went through, Marik almost killed Joey and me, they tried to cut off my legs-!" Yugi caught a ragged breath. "I don't...remember... what he looks like... he made us play Dark Games that tore at our souls, and I _don't even remember what he looks like_..." Yugi covered his face, feeling fear surge up in him, and missed completely the change in Yami's expression. For just an instant the calm aloofness faded, replaced by a hint of warmth and empathy.

 _/When you feel you have nothing in common with a person, it's easy to ignore them, belittle them, hate them. But when you see your own troubles reflected in another, it changes things, doesn't it?/_

Yami stiffened. _/Kage, you are trying my patience to no end./_

Meanwhile Yugi took a deep breath, let it out, got hold of the moment of panic and shoved it down hard. _I will NOT give in to this. I must keep fighting. So I'm forgetting. I still can make a difference._ "I'm sorry. It's just a little scary. I've got this. Go to the museum tomorrow and see the Tablet for yourselves, Bakura, Kage. If it's there, it'll bear out what I'm saying, right?"

"It will that. And once you're out of here, maybe we can arrange a second trip. I'm sure Yami will want to see this Tablet for himself."

 _/I do. /_ With the slightest nod and a _/Thank you/_ to Yugi, Yami faded out of sight again.

"Right now, I think we should take our leave as well." Bakura stood.

"Okay. Oh! Speaking about tomorrow, Dr. Greenway says they're going to let me go home then. Would you let everyone else know?"

"Of course I will! That's wonderful news. Maybe we could throw you a welcome home party."

Yugi managed a smile. "Just don't ask me to dance."

Egyptian Tranlation Time!

 _Tayi hunamos Yami, ona asoput iriru nefrun genix ntek - My friend Yami, this anger does not serve you_

 _Kage! Smen rexntow iny ona. Ta shi xoto derderi nis io - Kage! Stay out of this. He is a stranger to me_

 _Xoto derderi ewi ewsebru inan sair ohir rekhaxt nis doi - A stranger with answers we need and wisdom to give_

 _Ntek asoput io - You anger me_

 _Bowmaa shi nefrun gausi djet. Poibonef ntek cidib io nis seger fy amune - Truth is not silent forever. Would you kill me to keep it hidden_


	4. Chapter 4

_The wind ruffled Yugi's hair as he stood on the bridge, looking down at the traffic below. (I know... what you're trying to find here in Battle City. It's your memories... isn't it?)_

 _The figure beside him made no answer save for a soft sigh._

 _(I knew from the beginning. Why would you enter a tournament just to win rare cards? Instead, you're after something really important. But don't worry. I'll help you! Let's fight together. Getting your memory back is my duty too.)_

 _'Your duty...?'_

 _(It took me years to complete the Millennium Puzzle. That's how I got to meet you. You gave me courage when I was weak and didn't have any friends... Part of me wants you to stay inside my heart forever, like we are now. But maybe that's just because I'm too dependent on you. Maybe I've been trapping you inside me, using your strength to protect me and my friends. But I can't, I mustn't, let you protect me forever. I have to become stronger, so I can stand up for myself and my friends on my own. Stand up for YOU. So now it's my turn to make YOUR wish come true. I'll help you get back your memories!)_

 _'Thank you... partner.'_

 _'NOT partner...'_

 _Yugi stiffened, looked around. (Did... did you hear that, other me?)_

 _No answer._

 _(Other-) Yugi gasped, turned in a circle._

 _He was alone on the bridge, and the road below empty; it was as if the entire city had suddenly emptied out, leaving him its sole tenant. The boy shivered and hugged himself. (No... don't leave... I don't know how to be alone inside myself any more...)_

 _'Alone... inside myself... How can you shine, when it's so dark? Who ARE you?'_

 _(Who's there!) Yugi spun round again._

 _The truck bearing down on him blew its horn-_

"MMHH!" Bolt upright in bed, Yugi clapped both hands over his mouth to muffle his shout. _Ohm'God ohm'God ohm'God. Nightmare. Chill out, Moto. It's all right. See? Nice safe hospital, nice safe bed. And hey, today you go home to even better bed._

 _As long as I'm awake I might as well start getting dressed_. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, putting his feet on the floor. _Here we go, ready or not._ Carefully, clinging to the bedframe, he stood.

HIs legs promptly buckled under him.

"Darn it!" Hauling himself back to the mattress, Yugi waited a moment and tried again. He managed to stand this time, but everything below the waist was alarmingly wobbly. He gritted his teeth, locked his knees, and made himself take a step towards the small bedside chest of drawers. Leaning on it for support, he fished out the clothes his grandfather'd dropped off the previous evening. He tossed them over his shoulder and wavered his way back to the bed, just making it before his legs decided they'd had enough and stopped supporting him again. "All right, I'm not walking out of here," he muttered, "I get the picture, but I'm still putting my clothes on whether you like it or not."

That also turned out to be not quite successful. The IV drip on his arm precluded putting on that side's sleeve, so Yugi settled for pants and half of his shirt. Judging by the only slightly hidden smile from the nurse, it wasn't the first time she'd seen a patient get thwarted that way. She deftly untangled him, got him into a wheelchair, and had him in the lobby waiting to go when Grandpa and his friends arrived.

"Come on, Yugi," Serenity teased as the group made their way towards the parking lot. "Let's have a race. Joey can push me, Tristan can push you. First one to the van wins, loser buys ice cream."

"No fair, you already know where it's parked."

"Everything's fair when it means ice cream." She giggled. "Ready, set- oh! Over there." She pointed. "Getting out of that sedan, is that-?"

"Ah crap," Joey groaned, "it's that putz Kaiba."

With arms folded, Seto Kaiba watched them approach. As soon as they drew near, he stalked out to meet them, stopping in front of Yugi. "About time," he said curtly.

"Mr. Kaiba, if you don't mind, I'm trying to take my grandson home," Solomon said.

Completely ignoring the older man, Kaiba leaned in, gaze locking with Yugi's. "So exactly how much of a drooling idiot are you, Yugi?"

"Hey, shut your face!" Tristan clenched a fist. "You've got some nerve barging in and saying that kind of stuff."

"Yeah, who died an' made you da boss of anything, huh, Kaiba? You ain't the boss of me or Yuge for sure. So just make like an air pump and blow on outta here before I muss up ya designer hairdo." Joey took a half-step forward. "An' believe you me, I'd like nuttin' better."

"Shut up, Wheeler. If I want to hear a puppy yapping, I'll drive by the city pound."

"Why, you sunnava-"

"Wait, Joey. Let me handle this." Yugi put a hand on his friend's arm.

"Huh? Yeah, okay, Yuge."

"The answer," Yugi said, giving back Kaiba's stare without flinching, "is not drooling and not an idiot. If you really want the details, I'm going to be in physical therapy for a little while to get my strength back. Until I do, you're out of luck, Kaiba. Go write another computer simulation of me- or better yet, of the Spirit- and play with that for a while. That's the only way you're ever going to beat either of us; in your dreams. Now get out of my way. I want to go home, I've had enough of this place."

Kaiba's eyes widened. He stood wordlessly staring at Yugi as if the other young man had suddenly sprouted four arms and made four different rude gestures simultaneously. Low in his ear Yugi heard Joey whisper, "Atta boy, Yuge."

Then Kaiba laughed softly. "Seems like you found a backbone while you were in there. I think I actually like the results of your little 'accident'. But I didn't come here today to join your little fan club. I came to offer you a proposition."

"What would that be?"

"This impromptu vacation of yours cost quite a bit of money, didn't it? Or has your grandfather not discussed that with you yet?"

"Mr. Kaiba," Solomon said, his voice taking on an edge, "this is not the time or place to discuss our private affairs, least of all with a stranger."

"Oh I think it's the perfect time." Kaiba pulled a sheaf of papers out of his pocket, dropped them in Yugi's lap. "KaibaCorp has graciously seen to it that your medical bills are paid in full. Of course, I'm sure you want to offer me your gratitude, and I have just the way you can do it."

"Compete in a tournament that you'll be hosting," Yugi said wearily. "C'mon, Kaiba, really? Blackmail?"

"How exactly do you get blackmail out of this, Yugi? It's just a simple favor. I didn't think you'd turn down a direct invitation to be part of one of the most exclusive and exciting Duel Monsters events the world's ever known. Or did you trade in your Duelist's pride for that bravado you were tossing at me a minute ago?" Leaning in again, Kaiba continued, "I don't care if you Duel from a wheelchair, a sedan chair, or a bed set up in the middle of the street. Your mind is intact; that's all I care about. If you can think, you can Duel. If you can Duel, you're going to be part of my Battle City. Or the whole world will know just how worthless the so-called King of Games has become."

"As if I cared. But you'll get your wish, Kaiba. I heard rumors about this 'Battle City' of yours, and I was planning on being in it. So don't count me down and out yet."

"Glad to hear it. The opening ceremonies are a week and a half from now, starting on a Saturday. Be at the clock tower in Domino Square at noon. Oh, and you might want to stop by a gaming shop sometime before then. Shipments are going out tomorrow direct to retailers of a new Duel Disk system to be premiered at Battle City. Only the Duelists with the most impressive records will be earmarked to receive this system for free- so looks like you're out of luck, Wheeler. I'll see you there, Yugi." Turning, Kaiba walked back to the waiting car, got in, and left.

"I'm'a rip his nads off an' serve 'em up to him inna bowl of gnocchi!" Joey raged. "Who does he t'ink he is anyways? My Duelist records are top-notch! Da best! I came in second at Duelist Kingdom! I friggin' beat Bandit Keith, da national champion! An' dissing my best pal here?! Wait till I get my hands on him."

"Uh, dude, Duelist Kingdom was the first tournament you ever entered," Tristan pointed out. "Before that you were getting your butt handed to you every day at lunch by Yugi. Heck, you even got your butt handed to you by Tèa a couple of times-yowch! Easy with the ear!"

"I'm not _that_ bad a Duelist," Tèa gritted, giving Tris's ear one more twist before letting go.

"Yugi, seriously, are you sure this's a good idea?" Duke shook his head. "Not that I'm doubting your gamer's skills, but a tournament is going to be pretty rough on you right after getting out of the hospital."

"I know. But it's important. Somebody's relying on me to be in that tournament. He may not be willing to admit it, but he needs me, and I'm going to be there for him whether he likes it or not." Twisting around, Yugi looked up at his grandfather. "Grandpa, when we get home, would you make me a bowl of your shiro miso soup?"

Solomon looked surprised, then pleased. "Goodness, you haven't asked me to make miso soup in years. I remember, though, it always used to be your favorite when you weren't feeling well. Always seemed to perk you right up."

"That's because you make the best miso soup in the whole world."

"Ho ho, I kind of doubt that! But as long as you like it, I suppose it is the best. All right, we'll stop by the Oriental supermarket on the way home so I can get the ingredients. Sure you don't want a cheeseburger from Burger World to go with that?"

"Not right now. Maybe later. Can we have narutomaki to go in it?"

"Whuzzat when it's at home?" Joey scratched his head.

"It's a kind of fish cake," Bakura explained. "They're made with a pink or red spiral pattern in the center. Very popular on top of ramen, and awfully tasty to boot. I think I might like to try some of this amazing miso myself."

"Why don't we get some other things as well? We can make Yugi's welcome home a Japanese style party," Tèa suggested. "If you don't mind, Mr. Moto, I could help you out in the kitchen. Bakura can too- don't I remember you cooking for us on Duelist Kingdom?"

"You certainly do. Since I live by myself, I sort of had to learn to cook in self-defense, or starve to death. Mind you, I'm really better at British cuisine, but as long as it isn't too fancy I imagine between the three of us we can manage quite well."

Two days after he got home Yugi reported to the hospital for his first PT session. It left him sweating and sore. His therapist, Nurse Purcell, pushed and stretched him in ways he'd never thought he could be pushed or stretched. "Man, my cardio stinks," he groaned. "I thought I was in pretty good shape to begin with."

"Decent shape, for your age, weight and height. But decent went to dinky while you were flat on your back. Got to un-dink you."

Yugi laughed. "Un-dink?"

"Hey, it's important to keep your chin up. A positive outlook is something we always look for in our patients. The ones who stay upbeat and focussed will always do better and gain ground faster." She gave his chest a friendly thump. "All done for this go-round, kiddo. See you on Thursday."

"I like her," Solomon said as he pushed Yugi towards the exit.

"Grandpa, she's 26. You're 71. I think you've got too much time in."

"You never know, she might like older men."

"Not old enough to be _her_ grandfather too."

"There you go, dashing my hopes again. Ah, how sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a snarky child."

"Just calling it like I see it."

"Ho ho ho." Grandpa leaned forward and kissed the top of Yugi's head. "You know I love you, don't you?" he said more quietly.

"Yeah. And I love you too. So much."

"I don't think there's ever been a grandson that's been as good to his old gramps as you," Solomon continued as he helped Yugi climb into the shop's truck. "Not everyone would run off to an island resort in the middle of nowhere to play games with an eccentric millionaire while his only parent was out cold. Then again, that eccentric millionaire was the reason I was out cold to begin with."

"You've never really forgiven Mr. Pegasus for that, have you?"

"Have you?"

"Well..." Yugi fiddled with the Puzzle. "I didn't think I could, but after hearing why he wanted the Puzzle so bad... it's hard to keep on hating someone when you realize they're hurting so badly that it drives them to do crazy things. All he wanted, all he ever wanted, was one more day with his wife."

"They were married?"

"I got the impression they were, but I could be wrong. I don't remember if he ever said one way or the other. I kept thinking, though, what would I do for you? Would I risk everything I had, everything I was? And the answer was always the same: how far would I go if it was me?"

"You did risk everything. You and that, ah, friend of yours." Solomon nodded at the Puzzle. "How is he, by the way?"

"He's good! He's great!"

"Mm-hmm." The old man sounded skeptical.

"Not buying it?"

"You should stop selling it. Your product's lousy."

"We're... having issues. I'm hoping to get them worked out soon."

"I think I can guess what some of those issues are." Pulling in behind the Game Shop, Solomon turned off the ignition and twisted around to look at his grandson. "Want some advice to pass along from an ex-ramblin' gamblin' man?"

"Sure."

"Nothing in this life is certain except two things, being born and dying. Everything else inbetween is a game. You can do your best to be ready for it, but you can never cover all the odds. Sometimes life is going to get the best of you, and it usually hurts like hell when it does. The important thing to remember is, you can't always be there in the nick of time to stop terrible things from happening. You just have to be ready to pick up the pieces and go on. Giving up is never an option. That makes the whole point of living worthless. Your friend isn't accustomed to losing, I think, but losing is just as much a part of life as winning is. That's what makes every day special. The idea that you could lose means the times you win are so much brighter. If you want to live- really live, not just exist- then pick up the dice and throw them. Take the chances you're being offered."

"I will, Grandpa. And thanks. I'll tell him. I think he'll listen to you."

"He better, because I was being pretty profound!"

"Can we skip the chair this time? I want to try using the crutches."

"You sure?"

Yugi grinned. "I've got to start sometime; might as well be right now."

"That's the spirit. Let me go get them."

The walk into and through the store looked a million miles long, with his legs already aching and burning. Yugi settled himself on the crutches and got his balance, then took a step. Another. A third. On the fourth he felt his knees begin to buckle, tried to lock them and catch himself, felt himself sway.

Warmth enveloped him from within. A surge of strength steadied him, stole away most of the pain. Very faintly he felt, or thought he felt, pressure under his arms, just where the crutches fitted into the armpit, and his steps were more sure. It was still an effort to move, and the climb up the stairs to his room took forever. Despite it all, he somehow managed to reach his bed and collapse into it, panting.

"Good job! I'd say that calls for an extra-special lunch. Double chili cheeseburgers and home fries?" Solomon winked.

"Yay!"

"All right. Iron Chef Moto is now entering Kitchen Stadium!"

When the door closed Yugi rested a hand on the Puzzle. _/Was... that you?/_

No reply.

 _/If it was... thanks./_

 _/Your grandfather... is a very wise man./_

 _/You heard him./_

 _/I wanted to know what you were up to. Since we have no connection, I cannot sense your actions or feelings unless I make a conscious effort to do so./_ The ghostly form was little more than an outline against the skylight window. _/There is no communion between us, as I had before with-/_ he stopped. _/In any event, it doesn't do me any good if the body isn't fit to travel, let alone Duel. You are obviously making an effort to change that, and in the interest of our agreement I should play a part in your rehabilitation as well. Show me these exercises they've given you. I can go through them as well as you can./_

 _/Okay./_ Rolling over with a grunt, Yugi fished the paperwork off his desktop _. /Here they are, with diagrams. It starts at the feet, then the legs, then the lower abdomen, upper torso, shoulders and arms./_

Yami studied the figures. _/It seems simple enough. When you have rested and eaten, I'll take over for a while./_

"Okay."

True to his word, the Spirit took Yugi's place after lunch. "Ugh!" was the first word out of his mouth.

 _/Welcome to my world./_

"I had no idea you were this weak."

 _/I know, I know. All I can do is get in as much exercise as possible and try not to move around a lot during the tournament. It doesn't hurt unless I push too hard. The real problem is I don't seem to have any stamina./_

"What about- *nghh*- your memories?"

 _/ It's... worse than I thought and better than I thought at the same time./_ Yugi ran his hands through his hair. _/I tried writing things down and found some of those gaps Dr. Greenway told me about. Take Joey, for example. I know his name wasn't Joey before. I know it did start with a 'J'. I know we went to Duelist Kingdom together, and I gave him the Glory of the King's Right Hand card so he could use the money for Serenity. But I don't remember what his other name was any more, and if there was something wrong with her other than being partly paralyzed I don't remember that anymore either. It's like the oldest memories that don't fit this world are the ones fading first, or, or being overwritten. I think Shadi might've been wrong when he said he doubted I'd forget everything. Maybe he just told me that so I wouldn't be too scared, or maybe he honestly believed I'd hold on to some of it. Either way, sometimes.../_

"Sometimes what?" Yami sat up, swiping at his forehead with one arm.

 _/Dr. Greenway said I wasn't losing my mind, I was finding it. Of course he was talking about the regular way things go for someone in my situation... he didn't have any idea how far I had to travel to be here. It's funny how what he said applies. I'm finding my mind... but is it my mind I'm finding? Who am I, who am I becoming?/_

The Spirit stared down at his hands for a long moment. Finally he said, "I, too... have wondered that. About myself, I mean. I've given myself a name: Yami. I have memories of this existence, here and now, from the moment the Puzzle was assembled and the door of my Soul Room opened. But who was I before, this Pharaoh? Was I a good king, a bad king, an indifferent one? Why was I sealed into the Puzzle? How will recovering the memories of my ancient past change me? Who, indeed, am I becoming?"

 _/I can tell you that./_ Yugi smiled a little. _/So, you were a king. You were probably accustomed to saying something and having people jump to do it. I don't think you ever abused that, though. Being decisive isn't a bad thing, and you're definitely that. You don't hesitate. You commit yourself to what you're doing with everything you have. You do have a pretty bad temper when it's roused; you hate to lose, you hate to make mistakes. But isn't that just like anyone else? Those faults make you human. They make you even more of someone to look up to and respect, because we can say to ourselves, 'if HE can get things wrong sometimes and come back from it better, then so can I.' Proud, strong, the kind of person who inspires the people around you; that's who you are, and that's the person you'll still be even after you remember your past./_

Yami looked at Yugi wide-eyed. "How..." he faltered. "How can you say such things to me?"

 _/I, ah, I thought... you needed to hear it?/_

"No, you miss my point. How can _you_ say these things to _me_ , when I've done nothing but resent and belittle you from the moment we met?"

Yugi looked away, squared his shoulders, looked back. _/Same answer. You needed to hear it. I'll keep saying it until you believe me; even if you hate me, I'm going to be here for you. I won't let you be lost to the darkness. That's who I'll NEVER become; someone who gives up. I'll keep trying till the very last moment./_

In that moment Yami looked no older than Yugi; not a king, only a young man bewildered and vulnerable and grieving for something lost.

Lost, but perhaps... the tiniest flicker of hope... perhaps not irrecoverable.

Then the armor slid back into place. "We'll continue this tomorrow. If you are feeling well enough, I want to go over my deck. Ideally I'd like to visit other game shops in the city and check their stock, but with your mobility issues that's a difficult proposition."

 _/Yeah. I don't even want to go NEAR a bus right now. -Wait a sec! Bakura and Kage! You trust their judgment, don't you? How about getting them to go for you?/_

"Yes! That's a good idea. I can make a list of the general type of cards I'm looking for and they can choose two or three that fit the criteria."

 _/Right, I'm on it. Let me have the body back. I'll call Bakura right now and ask him to drop by this evening. While he's here, he can let you know if he and Kage managed to go to the Egypt exhibit and look at the Tablet./_

"Done." Yami stepped aside, becoming a spirit once more.

"...Yami...?"

 _/What is it?/_

"I just wanted to say thank you again."

One brow arched. _/For what?/_

"For listening to me, working with me on this."

 _/You're not my partner. But, I am beginning to believe... you're my friend./_

Yugi beamed. "So let's get started, friend. We have a lot to do."

 _/Indeed yes./_


	5. Chapter 5

When Bakura showed up, he brought more than himself; "Thought you might like this," he said as he dropped a paper bag on the mattress and plopped down. "I stopped by Mr. Schlotzky's deli- do you remember?"

"Aren't they the ones who bake their bread round?"

"Nailed it. Ham and cheese on rye for you, reuben for me."

"It smells great." Yugi unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite. "Mm, yum! Thanks."

"Cheers."

"So, did you find out anything at the museum?"

"Did I ever! I, my lad, am now a fountain of information, and all of it perfectly lovely. The Tablet was there, just as you said it would be. They have it kept off to itself, down in a basement area- private showings only. However, since I happen to know someone who's extraordinarily sneaky when he wants to be-"

 _/Which is most of the time,/_ Kage added.

"-We were able to nick down there and have a shufti."

"A what?"

"Quick look. I even managed to take a few snaps with my cellphone. Here, let me pull them up... there, that's the first one, shows most of the Tablet. It's really fairly large. Now here's a closeup of left side, then right side..."

 _/It's barely possible to argue the figure on the left, the one that seems to be some kind of magician or priest, could be anyone, but the figure on the right is unmistakably a representation of Yami./_ Kage pointed. _/And, see, down here behind the Pharaoh.../_

Yugi squinted. "That looks... hey, I think that's you. And that's definitely the Ring."

Materializing, Yami bent over the screen. _/You're right. This bears out everything you said./_

His fingers brushed the phone. _/This... this is the link we've been searching for, Kage and I. Proof that we have a past, proof that our past DOES begin in ancient Egypt, alongside the Millennium Items./_

"Now comes the best part. As we were trying to make out some of the hieroglyphics, all at once we heard a voice behind us. My heart hit my shoes at Mach Three, and you should've heard some of the curses Kage came up with on the spot."

 _/I dislike people who are quieter than I am. Call it professional jealousy./_

Yami smirked. _/I would've paid my weight in gold to've witnessed that. Who was it?/_

"A very nice young woman by the name of Ishizu."

 _/Ishizu! She's the one who gave Kaiba a God Card./_

"That's not all she did, Yami, or rather, that's not all she has. She's carrying a Millennium Item as well. She called it the Millennium Necklace. She said it showed her our visit... and she knew about you. She called you by name, specifically asked if the Pharaoh had sent us in his stead. The gist of the conversation was that she'd hoped to speak to the Pharaoh himself, but understood that his vessel was not at the current time in the best of health. She wishes Yugi a speedy recovery."

 _/She went on to speak of an ancient evil that a young Pharaoh- you- saved the world from five thousand years ago. She also said the evil was returning, and you were the only one who could stop it, and if you won Kaiba's tournament you would 'find your answers'. I'd say that was irrefutable proof of how critical the next weeks will be./_ Kage waved a hand. _/So Ryo and I have decided we're going to join you in participating. Double our chances of securing the God Cards./_

"Do you have a good enough Duelist rating?"

"Not really, at least not on paper, as it were. But we have our ways." Bakura smiled brightly. "I called in a favor."

"From who?"

"Mokuba. More get-well wishes, by the way. He said if you get too tired, let him know- he's the Steering Committee Chairman, in charge of settling all disputes that come up during the tournament. As such, he's empowered to call a time out during any Duel, or to declare that you're taking an official break and you can't be challenged until you're returned to active status."

"Wow, that is super nice of him."

"Oh, Mokuba's all right. Just wish his big brother was a spot more agreeable."

 _/That leads me into the next request. I need to work on my deck. If I give the two of you a list, can you try to find some cards that will serve my purpose? The young one, here, can't travel for long. We're working on that, but if there's no need to strain his resources.../_

 _/Of course. I wanted to go downtown to the Galleria for that purpose myself. Have you the list made up?/_

 _/It's on the desk./_

 _/As it is written, so shall it be done, o Son of Ra./_ Kage sketched an exaggerated bow.

 _/I will HURT you, Kage./_

 _/I tremble. I am awash with fear. The Lord of the Two Kingdoms regards me with ire./_

 _/Must I prove your folly upon your body?/_

 _/Good luck with that, If you hadn't noticed, I'm not in residence at the moment./_

 _/Sooner or later you will be... and I can be VERY patient./_

"Oi, don't I have a say in this?" Bakura protested as Yugi tried to stifle his giggles. "You might prove _his_ folly, but _I'm_ the one who'll feel it afterwards."

 _/An unfortunate aspect of consorting with the ghost of a smartass. You have my condolences, Bakura./_

"Fine lot of good that'll do me."

Downstairs the shop bell jingled, then Grandpa shouted, "Yugi! Joey and Tristan are here!"

"Send them on up, Grandpa!"

"Hey Yuge. Hey, Bakura." Joey strolled in and dropped a duffle bag. "Hope ya don't mind me draggin' the Moose along."

"Of course not."

"Thought we'd come over and hang out with ya tonight. Kind of a boys' night out, except we're not out, we're in. In ya bedroom, dat is. -No funny stuff, creampuff."

"Are you saying I'm a poofter?" Bakura folded his arms and glared.

"I dunno, all dat fluffy girly hair, dose big fluttery eyelashes-*oof!*"

"And one heck of a throwing arm," Tristan said, retrieving the pillow Bakura'd hit Joey in the face with. "Nice shootin', Tex."

"I'll getcha for that, Ryo."

"Oh, so you want to take on my occult deck?" Bakura gave Joey his sunniest smile. "It's full of all sorts of ghoulish monsters and ghosts, you know."

"Yeesh, yanno dat stuff creeps me out! -Whoa, whoa, waitasec, are dese bags from old man Schlotzky's I'm seein'?"

"Yup. Here, you can have half of mine, Joey. It's way too much for me to eat by myself."

"I brought the movies." Tristan held up a couple of discs. "Our double feature matinee tonight is a tribute to everybody's favorite aquanut, Mako Tsunami- 'Sharktopus', followed by 'Sharknado'.

"You boys want to grab some pillows and blankets and settle in the living room?" Grandpa asked from the door. "I'll make popcorn."

"Sounds good ta me." Joey glanced at Yugi. "How's, ah..." he pointed at the Puzzle. "Da big guy?"

"Better," Yugi answered.

"Ya nervous about the tournament?"

"Are you?"

"Heck no! You're talkin' to da Godfadda of Games here! I'm gonna blow anybody dat gets in my way all da way to California with my smooth moves."

"Maaaaybe you want to work on your deck a little tonight too. I've heard it's going to be an ante tournament."

"For real?" Joey face-faulted. "Errrh... dat means I gotta put up a rare card when I Duel, don't it?"

"Ladies and gentlemen, he can be taught." Tristan put an arm around Joey's neck in a mock wrestling hold. "So you'd better be prepared to pony up your Red-eyes."

"No way. Nobody's gettin' their hands on my Red-eyes. Me and him, we're a team."

"But Joey, that's the point of the ante. Not only does the winner get a new rare card to make their deck stronger," Yugi said, "both Duelists will fight extra hard knowing they have something precious to them on the line. Not that I really agree with that. To me, any card I choose to go in my deck is important and precious. Not everyone sees it that way, though."

"By 'not everyone', he means Mr. High-and-Mighty Rich Boy Kaiba and his briefcase full of rare cards." Tristan snorted. "I wonder if he sleeps with that thing at night?"

"Bet he sleeps with da Blue-eyes." Joey snickered. "Anyways, yeah, dat's good advice, Yuge. We can do a little card tradin' later on. First t'ings first- we got movie siiiiign!"


	6. Chapter 6

(WARNING: the following chapter and later chapters include references to material that may not be suitable for all ages. This is your official Puzzleshipping alert. Same gender relationships ahead.)

 _'Yugi. A champion doesn't belong on his knees. You achieved a great victory for us both.'_

 _(Then why doesn't it feel like I won? By winning this Duel... I've sent you away for good.)_

 _'No, you've opened the door for me. My spirit can finally be at rest again.'_

 _(Why am I here?!) Yugi looked up and around at the stone walls of the antechamber. (This all happened before. Why am I remembering this?)_

 _'Fate brought the two of us together for a reason... and we've fulfilled our destiny.'_

 _(But we promised... we promised each other we'd be together...) He looked forward, at the figure illuminated from behind, white light casting his face in shadows. (Wait... why can't I see you, Pharaoh? )_

 _'Destiny?' A second voice; Yugi turned, looking behind him, as another figure stepped forward. A figure identical to the one on the dias-_

 _No, not identical; this one clad in black, not white, though the golden adornments and crown were the same. 'Destiny?' he repeated, disdain in his voice._

 _(Yami-!)_

 _'We fought so hard to achieve this,' the first Pharaoh said, holding out one hand, a hand that looked strange in the light from the doorway; blurred, misty, not solid or real at all, not even the reality of his spirit form._

 _'Yes, you fought,' Yami said, taking another step, 'and for what?' He pointed at Yugi. 'All the battles, all the days and nights sharing a life, all the promises to never be parted; he gave you everything he had, and in the end you would not fight for HIM? King and son of kings, a god on Earth, you accepted this end without question?'_

 _'It was my DESTINY.'_

 _'Then so let it be yours-but not mine. If this is destiny, then I will defy the fates themselves to change it. My body may've crumbled to dust, but my spirit LIVES- and while I live, I will make my own path, forged of my own choices.'_ _Yami turned, violet eyes locking with Yugi's. 'If you were mine,' he said softly, 'I WOULD fight. I would battle till the end to remain with you. To keep your light ever in my heart.' His fingers touched Yugi's cheek, cupped his chin. 'If you were my Yugi...' Yami leaned in, his lips brushing Yugi's as soft as a breeze-_

"Ah!" Yugi sat straight up in bed. "Oh wow."

 _Another dream? Where did THAT come from?_

Somewhere a clock tolled, sixteen chimes followed by two bell notes. With a groan Yugi flopped back against the pillows _. It's two in the morning and I just had the weirdest dream in my life. Why does this always happen to me?_

 _All right, be fair, it probably happens to everyone else in the world at some point. But I really need some sleep! Tomorrow Battle City officially starts. We've made a lot of progress; I just hope it's enough. At least Yami finally thinks I'm his friend... even if he still hasn't called me by name. I guess I can live with being called 'young one', as long as he smiles while he's doing it._

 _I'm so glad to see that smile. To know that he actually welcomes my being around... it's warm in my heart when he smiles like that at me. And who knew he could kiss like..._

 _I did NOT just think that!_

 _It was so gentle... as if... I was the most important, precious thing in the world..._

 _Whoa, whoa WHOA! Yugi, quit it! You like girls, remember? Tèa? Bikini at waterpark? Dynamite body? Definitely planning on asking her to the prom this year if I can beat Tristan to it?_

 _She's really beautiful, but I-_

 _I am now officially confused and need to de-stress. Deep breath. Sleep. Everything will be clear in the morning._ Turning over, Yugi stared at the far wall. _Yep, gonna sleep now. Gosh am I sleeping._

A shadow passed over the floor in the light from the window.

 _What's that?! Someone's out there!_

The faintest click as the window-latch opened, then a soft thump. Immediately Yugi half-closed his eyes, peeking under the lashes as a dark form approached the bed. Before it actually reached him, he made a sudden dive and roll to the floor, hoping to slip past the intruder.

It almost worked. A hand slapped down hard on his back, scrabbled for purchase, then knotted itself in the back of his pajama shirt, yanking him back by it. As Yugi opened his mouth to shout, a second hand clamped over it, silencing him and cutting off his air. "Master Marik wishes you to pay him a call," a voice hissed low in his ear. "There is no room for debate."

Desperately Yugi tried to twist away, but his attacker had weight and height on him; forced to the floor, he wasn't able to move, couldn't make a sound, couldn't breathe. His chest began to tighten as he squirmed futilely. _I'll never make it!_

 _/Yami!/_

No answer.

 _/Yami, please! HELP!/_

A flicker of puzzlement, swiftly changing to alarm and anger, and Yugi felt himself literally pushed aside as Yami took over the body. There was a crack of energy and Yugi's assailant was flung across the room, hitting the wall hard and sliding down into a heap. Yami sat up, gasping. _"Hur.. hur passat zas ren iny duat?!"_ he demanded.

That didn't sound friendly. _/Yami?/_

 _/YUGI!/_ The Spirit immediately enfolded the smaller boy in his arms. _/Yugi, are you all right?!/_

 _/Yes, I'm fine, I'm fine./_

 _/What the hell?/_

 _/I don't know, that guy broke in, he was trying to sneak up on me but I was already awake and I-/_

"Yugi!" Solomon barged in, a baseball bat in one hand. "What's going on? I heard a noise-"

Yugi felt himself settle back into control. "Call the police, Grandpa." He pointed.

Cautiously Solomon approached the prone figure, nudging it with the end of the bat a few times. When it failed to respond, he turned to Yugi again. "Get me a couple of belts from your dresser. We'll tie him up-he seems to be out cold."

 _/Oh, he is MUCH more than 'out cold'./_ Yami sounded grimly satisfied.

 _/Did you Mind Crush him?/_ Yugi silently asked as he helped his grandfather truss up the stranger.

 _/Perhaps a little./_

 _/Yami! You do not Mind Crush someone 'a little'./_

 _/Very well, yes, I Mind Crushed him. Satisfied?/_

 _/I shouldn't be... but I am. He said Marik wanted to see me. I can guess where that would've led./_

 _/...I was too lenient. -We need to talk when this is done. I am staying right here until it is./_

It was nearly dawn before things settled down at the Turtle Game Shop. The police questioned Yugi and Solomon thoroughly after removing the still-unconscious intruder. "Probably after whatever valuables he could grab quick, and your grandson just happened to be awake at the wrong time," the officer said. "I'm guessing, though, you want to press charges."

"Hell yes," Solomon growled.

"Don't blame you. You'll need to come down to the precinct today or tomorrow to fill out some paperwork. Are you two going to be all right? Want me to get a patrol car to do a drive-by later on?"

"I'd appreciate that, Officer."

Once they were alone, Grandpa looked over at Yugi. "Are you two boys okay?"

"Yes Grandpa. Yami took care of him before he could do more than scare me."

"This wasn't a robbery attempt, I take it."

"Pretty sure not."

The older man sighed. "Don't take this the wrong way, but there are times I wish I hadn't given you the Puzzle. Then again, I never thought you'd be the one to put it together, and even if it makes life interesting at times, I can't deny it's also had some very good results. I'm going to go make a pot of tea and start breakfast. Not much use trying to go back to sleep now." He walked out, closing the door.

 _/What happened to your Yami?/_

 _/What?/_

 _/What happened to him when he regained his memories?/_

This was it; the moment Yugi'd been dreading. The final answer. _/He... left./_

 _/Left?/_

 _/There was one final Duel between the two of us. If I won, he was released, free to pass into the afterlife. If he won, he'd remain in the Puzzle forever./_ Yugi looked down at his hands, clasped tightly in his lap. _/They called me a vessel. He lived within me, like you do now. I give you shape and a physical form. Your spirit departs.../_

 _/While the body... the heart... remains behind, in the mortal world. You were not allowed to join him. You had no place in the Field of Dreams./_

 _/No./_

 _/And now you are here... to repeat that for me. Knowing full well what lies ahead is the eternal parting of our twinned souls./_

 _/Yes. -Don't you see? I couldn't leave you like that. Who knows if someone else would ever be able to do what I can do? You needed me. It's just.. it's getting so complicated.../_ Trembling, Yugi hid his face in his hands. _/I had this crazy mixed-up dream, that's why I was awake when that guy came in. You were there, and the other Pharaoh too, and you were so angry./_

 _/...If this is destiny, then I will defy the fates themselves to change it./_

Yugi sucked in a breath, staring at Yami over his fingertips. _/H-how did you.../_

 _/As you slept, since the time you first told us of Marik and the God Cards, I've searched the corridors of your mind, seen part of what lay there./_ The Spirit glanced away guiltily _. /It was wrong... but I had to know, to understand, what kind of person had taken my partner's place. It seems in my doing so our hearts conspired against us. -Tonight, I heard your voice, and all I could think of was being by your side, protecting you. I spoke your name, a name I swore to myself I would never speak again, least of all to you. I would never see you as my partner. And I still don't. I see you as yourself, finally. You are not the one I lost... but you are the one who came to save me despite myself. To be my light, and my hope, when I was sure neither would ever return to me. Light, and hope, and something more, something I couldn't allow myself to dream of until now. We're broken, you and I, Yugi; but the places we're broken will make us fit together. If we try. Will you try?/_

 _/Yes, oh yes-!/_ Flinging his arms around the Spirit's neck, Yugi let the tears come. Warm fingers (they're warm, they were never warm before) twined into the hair at the back of his head, soothing, welcoming, memories and feelings and thoughts flowing like water, weaving them together in a bond both old and new.

 _/I'll open my heart to him, this young one, my chosen/_

 _/How can we stay together/_

 _/Things are fine just the way they are/_

 _/Even if remembering means we have to be separated/_

 _'Belief alone cannot change fate... If you do this, great trials, great struggles... and great rewards as well, if you are brave enough to seize the reins of destiny and make it your own.'_

 _/Will you fight? I can't do it alone/_

 _/I will! No matter what!/_

 _/Then we will stand together, and together we will decide our fate, or together we will fall./_

 _/I know where to begin./_ Drawing back, Yugi cradled Yami's face in his palms _. Everything changes now. It's all out the window, and I don't care. We're going to pick up the dice and throw them, Grandpa._ "Your name," he said, "the name I've been carrying in my heart, in my soul..." _Please let me guess right, please let this be YOUR dream-_ Very gently he kissed Yami, then whispered against his lips, "is _Atem_."

And the Puzzle tolled one perfect note, triumphant, joyful, as the Wdjat Eye on its surface blazed to life.


	7. Chapter 7

_/What was that?/_

Bakura shook his head, blinking. _/Kage..? What?/_

 _/Something happened just now./_ The Thief's ghostly form peered out the window.

Yawning, Bakura checked the clock. _/Good God, it's six in the morning! You woke me up for 'something'? DO be a bit less cryptic, can't you?/_

 _/Ryo.../_

 _/Oh don't take that tone with me. You're not the one who has to put up with sore muscles and lack of sleep after one of your little escapades./_

 _/Keh. -I don't KNOW what 'something' is. I felt a surge of power./_

 _/Another Millennium Item?/_

 _/No. Yes. Maybe. Put on some clothes. I need to go find out what's happened./_

 _/Bugger that! You can wait till a decent hour to go prowling around. We have a tournament to attend, remember? Fine Duelists we'll be if we drowse off in the middle of a battle./_

 _/It could be serious. It could be Yugi and Yami./_

 _/Don't you suppose that Yami is capable of-/_ With a sigh Bakura swung his legs over the side of the mattress _. /Fine, let me at least grab a cuppa before we leave./_

As soon as they were out of the apartment, Kage pointed. _/This way./_

 _/That is definitely in the direction of the Turtle Game Shop./_

 _/It's in the direction of many things. Let us hurry./_

In a few moments Bakura asked, _/Kage... is it my imagination, or are we being followed?/_

 _/It's not your imagination. Well spotted. You're learning. I see two individuals who are more than interested in us. They're both wearing dark robes... normally that would make them stand out like sore thumbs. They're quite good. I, however, am better. Give me control./_

 _/What are you planning?/_

 _/It's early in the morning. I fancy a pastry and some coffee./_ Kage crossed the street, heading straight into the local Dunkin' Donuts. "Good morning," he greeted the cashier. "Could I get a small mocha latte and a... oh, they all look wonderful... do you have cream puffs? No? Drat. Blueberry cream donut, then, please." _/Did either of them follow us in?/_

 _/No, I think- yes, they're waiting just outside. To the left hand of the door as you're leaving. Why here and not Mr. Bean's?/_

 _/Because the fire exit in Mr. Bean's is not located just out of sight around the corner of the hallway that leads to the restrooms./_

 _/We can't just go out the fire exit! It'll sound an alarm, they'll hear it, won't they?/_

 _/I'm counting on it./_ Finishing the donut, Kage got up and walked back towards the hallway, turning the corner and flipping the bar on the fire exit as he did. The buzzer began to sound, and people immediately started dashing for the front door. The two men outside looked at one another, then took off around the building's rear to cover the emergency door. Immediately Kage darted out the front with the rest of the patrons, then took off at a dead run down the street, weaving in and out of the foot traffic. /There. That should've lost them for a bit./

A few minutes' brisk jog brought them to the game shop. Kage scowled at the 'CLOSED' sign, then pulled out their cell phone and dialed.

 _/Why didn't you do that to begin with?/_

 _/I prefer the personal touch./_

 _/You just don't like modern technology./_

 _/Whatever. Come on, damn you, answer_./ "-Ah, Yugi. Good morning. "

"Kage? What's up?"

"We are, and entirely too early, or so Ryo thinks. We're just outside the shop. Tell your grandfather to let us in. It's rude to pick a friend's locks unless it's absolutely necessary."

In a moment Solomon showed up and ushered Kage inside. "You boys awake too?" he said, closing and re-locking the door after him.

"Millennium Items, and the spirits that inhabit some of them, are a deuced bother," Bakura said, nudging Kage out of the body.

"You won't get much of an argument out of me right now. Yugi's upstairs."

"Thank you." He made straight for the stairs. "Yugi? Are you decent?"

"Yeah, c'mon in."

Opening the door, Bakura came to a halt. Yugi, in bed, sitting facing someone-

 _/My Pharaoh!/_ Kage knelt, left knee forward. Bakura just gaped. Yami, to be sure. No mistake. But clad in a short robe of black with gold thread at the hem, a wide golden collar and armbands and a winged crown adorning him, eyes fiercely exuberant. "Oh... my..." he breathed.

 _/Kage. No, Bakura. Stand up. Don't bow to me as a supplicant; face me, as my friend and ally./_ Yami beckoned with his left hand. _/Don't you want to congratulate me? Today I am reborn./_

 _/That my eyes should see this is glory unlooked for./_ Kage got back to his feet _. /Now that the formalities are accounted for, how the hell have you managed this? Have you- no, that's a stupid question, you've obviously regained your memories./_

 _/Not precisely. Not my memories, no more than the beginnings. My name. I've regained my name./_ Yami smiled at Yugi. _/My chosen has given it back to me. I am Atem, son of Aknamkanon./_

"But this is wonderful!" Bakura exclaimed, then paused. "Or is it? Isn't it too soon for you to know that? I was under the impression you had to get hold of the God Cards first."

"About that..." Yugi rubbed the back of his head. "Things got wild last night. Marik sent some guy to attack me."

 _/Where do you want me to put the body parts?/_

 _/I left him intact... physically, anyway. A pity the same can't be said for his mind. Though I may have been hasty. We might've learned something from him./_

"I doubt it. If you hadn't Mind Crushed him, Marik would've, to keep us from doing just that. Marik tends to break his toys when he's done with them." Yugi winced. "That wasn't very nice of me to say it that way."

 _/As Ryo might put it, bugger the nice. What else happened?/_

"We talked... and... we decided..."

 _/We decided we will not be chained to a destiny neither of us desires. In that other place and time, the other Atem departed to the afterlife, leaving all he had come to know in this modern time behind forever. I will not follow suit. I will stay, in this new world, with the ones who are my friends in my new life.../_ Walking over, Yami rested his hands on Yugi's shoulders. _/I will stay with the one I choose to be with, the one who chose me./_

Yugi nodded agreement, one hand creeping up to rest atop one of Yami's. "We both want it that way. So we'll fight, together, just like we always have. Only this time we're fighting for ourselves, for our dreams."

 _/...About damned time!/_ Kage's face lit up. _/But say the word; I'm with you./_

"Make it... make it two." Bakura nodded at Kage. "I'm not in love with you; sorry if that dashes your hopes, old chap. That being said, I can't imagine a life not shared with you. You make me feel complete. I've had enough of being alone. True enough, since meeting Yugi, I've had lots of friends. That doesn't mean I want to lose any of them; not one of them. And you're most definitely one of them, Kage."

 _/Heh! You're like an irritating little brother to me. The one that makes you pull out your hair one moment... and stand bare-handed against a lion in defense of the next./_

"Your turn. What're you guys doing here so early?"

"Kage felt something-"

"Probably the Puzzle. It went supernova when I told Yami his name, and I'd swear it feels happy. If a thing can feel happy."

"Oh it probably can, and does. Not the same way we do, mind you, not being either human or even organic. Ancient artifacts of power are often reputed to have a kind of awareness, even sentience, so it doesn't surprise me at all to hear you say that. I'm quite sure the Ring is fond of us. I've felt the pointers move more than once, just a little ripple, almost like a cat asking for attention."

 _/Those who are masters of Millennium Items will find they respond more fully and openly to their owners than to a stranger./_ Yami looked thoughtful. _/...I didn't know that before I said it. Having said it, I feel the truth of it./_

"Anyhow, on our way over we had our own little adventure. There were a couple of blokes in robes tailing us. Kage managed to give them the slip, but I'm wondering: how did they know to follow me? Were they watching my apartment? If so, why? Did they know I have the Ring? How would they know that?"

"Too many questions to answer now. We don't have enough clues." Yugi turned, put his feet on the floor. "I'm too wired to go back to bed. MInd if I grab a shower while you wait? We can hang out here till time to head to Clock Square."

"I think that's an excellent suggestion."

 _/It might also be well to continue to call you 'Yami', my Pha- Atem. At least where unseen ears might overhear. Names are powerful./_

 _/I agree./_ Yami closed his eyes, concentrated. His form flickered back to the mirror-image of Yugi that they were all familiar with. _/Yami in name and Yami in form. We will save the Pharaoh as a surprise for friend and foe alike./_


	8. Chapter 8

"Imbecile! Useless, worthless pile of rotting flesh! Jackal's droppings!" A crash as a vase hit the floor, hard, shattering into shards that were ground underfoot. "Odeon! _Odeon!_ "

"Yes, Master Marik." The tall figure stepped into the room and bowed deeply.

"The vessel slipped through my fingers again. How is this possible? Didn't I tell you to ensure that he was brought to me before Kaiba's tournament began? We worked hard enough to find him; it was only by chance you found that photograph in the gaming magazine that showed us a picture of little Yugi flaunting the Puzzle. Now there's no time left to lock him away until I secure the last God Card. I wanted to have the Pharaoh here, where I could Duel him at my leisure with all three cards in my possession. My victory would have been assured!"

"My apologies, Master Marik." Odeon bowed again. "I would gladly have undertaken the task myself, but you also forbade me to show myself in Domino until you were ready. I was forced to choose one of our Rare Hunters to undertake the abduction, and it seems he met with resistance from the Pharaoh himself. I've had a report... his mind is quite shattered."

"Hm." Marik kicked at the pieces of the vase petulantly. "That's the only good news to come out of this. At least he can't reveal what he knew, which was little enough to begin with. The Pharaoh must yet remain ignorant of my true identity, and of the God Cards. I doubt Ishizu would want it known I'm her brother. That would compromise her position in the Pharaoh's eyes."

"I agree, young master. Ishizu will play this game very carefully."

Marik dropped down in a chair. "She imagines persuading the great Seto Kaiba to hold this Battle City of his will draw me out. Does she really think I'm stupid enough not to know she must've given Kaiba the God Card she retrieved from me? Of course it's a trap... and I am going to turn her plans right back at her. I will take down the Pharaoh and his precious little vessel, seize Obelisk from Kaiba, and declare myself the ruler of the world. All will bow before me." With an impatient gesture he indicated the floor. "Have someone clean that up. I have an opening ceremony to attend..." he smirked. "In spirit, anyway."

"At once, Master." Odeon bowed again and left. Reaching down beside the chair, Marik hefted the Millennium Rod, hands caressing it. "Count the hours of your life, Yugi Muto," he purred. "They grow rapidly less and less. My only gift to you is that you will die before the Pharaoh does. He will watch you dissolve into nothingness, screaming as you do so- I promise you that. It'll be an excellent beginning to my reign."

"It's nearly twelve. I wonder where Joey is?"

"Probably overslept."

"No way. Joey's super pumped about this event. He was so happy when he called me yesterday evening to tell me he'd managed to find a Duel Disk. He said he was going straight home and try it on, then work on his deck." Yugi looked worried. "I hope he's okay."

"Well hello there!" a cheery feminine voice said. "I was beginning to wonder if I'd find you in time."

"Mai!" Yugi turned around on the bench and beamed. "You're here!"

"Where else would I be, kiddo?" Mai Valentine winked. "This is the event of the year!"

"Here you are, Miss Valentine," Bakura said, rising. "Won't you sit down?"

"Thanks, Bakura. Just as polite- and cute- as ever." She sat, peered closely at Yugi. "You look a little pale, Yugi. Everything all right?"

"Um... yeah. It is now. I've been sick."

Mai's eyes widened. "Oh no! I'm sorry... I didn't know... drat that Joey! I'll turn my Harpie Ladies loose on him for not letting me know. He's got my phone number-oops." She covered her mouth, then giggled. "Maybe I shouldn't be telling on him like that. But seriously, you're okay? If you're here, I'm hoping it wasn't that big a deal."

"Guess I'd better tell you before someone else does. I got in an accident," Yugi said softly. "I was bedridden for a couple of weeks."

"Oh my God." Mai looked shocked, then concerned. "And what are you doing here? You should be at home resting. C'mon, I'll give you a lift. Riding in a convertible with a hot blonde will give you years of street cred."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I mean, it's great of you to offer, but I'm not backing out of the tournament."

"Is it Kaiba? Did he bully you into this? If he did, I've got a piece of my mind- and forty cards- to give him, and if I'm lucky he'll choke on them both."

"No no, it's okay. Honest. I need to be here. I can't really say much more than that, not out here in the open, but... it's the most important thing I've ever done."

"More important than Duelist Kingdom?"

"Way more important."

"There you go again, getting in over your hair." Mai waved a teasing hand over Yugi's head. "All right. I respect you enough not to pry- but you owe me the full story over dinner tonight. Everyone's invited. Fair?"

"Fair. It's really, really good to see you, Mai."

Mai smiled. "You too, short stuff. I don't have that many friends, you know. Can't afford to lose any." She leaned back. "So who else have you seen around?"

"A few faces. Rex is here, and Mako; haven't seen Weevil yet."

"With a tournament this glitzy, you can bet that little bug is buzzing around. Where's Joey, though? I would've expected to see him hanging out with you."

"We were just wondering that oursel-" Bakura stopped. "There he is- Joey! Over here!... Oh dear, he looks cross."

"That's not cross, that's pissed off," Mai said as Joey stalked up.

"Joey!" Yugi got to his feet. "Joey, what's wrong?"

"Some no-good bastards jumped me in an alley last night. I was tryin' to take a shortcut home from da game shop I got my Disk at. Forced me ta Duel." Joey's eyes slitted. "Dey took my Red-eyes."

"What?! Joey, that's terrible! Did you get a look at them?"

"Yeah, buncha creeps were wearin' dese long dark dress things with hoods, yanno, like robes. But I got a real good look at the guy I fought. I been tryin' to spot him in da crowd. An' when I do, I'm gonna take my dragon back if I have to break his friggin' fingers ta do it. Sorry, Mai. Don't mean ta be ignoring ya. How ya doin'."

"Don't worry about it Joey. If someone stole my Harpie Ladies, I'd be raising hell if the Pope was standing in front of me."

"Yuge, promise me ya won't go nowhere alone, _capisce_? If dis gang could take me down, dey won't t'ink twice about comin' after you."

"I promise."

"Lucky for me I still got dat card ya gave me, da Time Wizard? I can put dat up as my ante. I'm just, yanno, so steamed I could-argh! _Figlio di puttana!_ "

"Language," Bakura cautioned. "There's a lady present."

"I din't know ya spoke Italian, Bakura."

"Enough to know swearing when I hear it."

"Blame it on my great-gramma. She's from da Old Country. She speaks pretty good English, but ya better speak Italian around her if you're related ta her."

A fanfare of trumpets caught their attention. All around the Square, as the central clock began to strike the hour, giant video screens lit up with the KaibaCorp logo. The largest of them changed to show Kaiba's face. "My fellow Duelists, welcome to Battle City!"

"Here we go." _/Are you ready, Yami?/_

 _/Never more ready./_ A warm touch on his shoulder. _/I am with you, my chosen./_

 _/I'm with you, aiseru./_

 _/Aiseru?/_

 _/...It means 'beloved'./_

The emotion that greeted the word made Yugi's heart ache with happiness. He had to give himself a little mental shake to pull his attention back to what Kaiba was saying.

"I've spoken to the Mayor and other civic authorities. For the duration of this tournament, wherever you are in the city limits, if two Duelists meet face to face, you must battle. No safe zones, no neutral meeting places- this is war, and only the ones who are ready to fight anywhere, any time, will continue on their journey. The rest of you will fall by the wayside, watching as the true champions gather."

"How typical." Mai pretended to stifle a yawn. "Screw the rules, I'm Seto Kaiba, the rest of you are just gravel under my feet."

"Each Duelist will use a forty card deck. Your decks are registered as soon as you place them in the Duel Disk, and anyone trying to add extra cards above the limit will be disqualified. If you want to substitute cards, you can, but your deck size can't exceed forty. All matches will be played under ante rules- the loser will surrender a rare card from their deck, the selection determined by the winner." He paused and smirked. "As you win, you become stronger. If you lose, it'll get harder and harder to catch up.

"Forty-eight of you were invited. Only eight will reach the finals. You were each issued a special locator card. Those cards can be assembled to form a map of Domino. However, you don't need all forty-eight to find your way. When any six of the cards are stacked atop one another, a light will shine in a certain location on the plate. Using that point and the portions of the maps shown on those six cards, you should be able to find the place where the finals are held. When you win a Duel, not only do you take your opponent's rare card- you take their locator card as well. Now, Duelists, you have till one o'clock before the tournament officially starts. Scatter across Domino, because in forty-five minutes- the battle begins!" The screens went blank, then began showing a countdown.

"Looks like it's time to move." Mai stood, stretched. "Good luck boys. Next time I see you, you'll need it."

"Good luck to you too, Mai!" Yugi waved, called after her, "I'll save you a rematch!"

"Oh, you sweet talker! Now that's the kind of offer a girl just can't forget about." Mai pretended to blow Yugi a kiss. "And you, Joey... try not to be too much of a mook, huh? Later."

"Mook," grumbled Joey. "Mook, she says!"

"Would you've preferred goomba?" Bakura teased as the three of them walked along.

"Yeah, well, at least dat's kinda accurate." Joey stiffened. "Hey... waitasec... Dere you are! I been lookin' all over for ya!" He dashed to one side, jabbing a finger at a man seated near a coffee shop. "You can disappear into da crowd, but ya can't hide dose snake's eyes of yours."

The man paused, took a sip of his coffee, then chuckled. "You don't have any rare cards, do you? Doesn't that mean you can't enter the tournament?"

"Dat's cause you stole my card, ya loser!"

 _/Dark robes... the man who assaulted you was dressed like that./_ Yami's eyes narrowed. _/He must be one of Marik's followers./_

 _/Go get 'im./_

"Joey! Let me handle this." Yami stepped forward.

"Hold on, pal! Don't let this guy sucker ya in. With cards like he's got-"

"Stop right there." Yami held up a hand. "Telling me what his deck is like would give me an unfair advantage. Even though he has no honor, that doesn't mean I have to fall to his level." Glaring at the man, he continued, "And you... a man who'd steal another Duelist's precious, personal cards... you deserve nothing but swift punishment."

The man set down his cup. "Oh really? Harsh words. Do I take it you want to Duel me and deliver some of that 'swift punishment'?"

"Garbage like you is a disgrace to this city and this tournament. I'll sweep you away right here and now. When I do, you will give Joey back his card."

"We'll see." Standing, the man pushed back his sleeve, revealing a Duel Disk. "Maybe you'll just be another victim of the Rare Hunters."

"Rare Hunters!" repeated Bakura. "I've heard of them. Thieves and counterfeiters, part of a group that calls themselves the Ghouls. They operate a black market, trading and buying- or stealing- valuable cards. He's bound to have a powerful deck!"

"Very astute of you. We Rare Hunters are the combat division of the Ghouls. A tournament like this is a treasure trove of Duel Monster cards. We'll wring this town dry. Of course, if you're scared, I'll let you back out- just hand over your deck."

"In your dreams." Yami drew his deck, placed it into the Disk. "Rare cards or not, this deck of mine will crush you."

The Duel was swift and brutal. At first the Rare Hunter's actions didn't seem to make sense; he set up a strong defense, then played several cards in a row that allowed him to exchange his current hand for a new one, without attacking once.

 _What is he up to...?_ Yami frowned. _It's like he's not even trying to take out our Life Points... more as if he's looking for something. One specific card? How can he base a fighting deck around one card?_

 _/-That's it! Not ONE card; a SET of cards! He's trying to assemble Exodia!/_

 _You're right!_ A wicked smile crossed Yami's face. _And I KNOW how to deal with Exodia._ Aloud he said, "I have your measure, Rare Hunter, and I promise you- the Forbidden One will never awaken!" He drew a card, glanced at it, set two face-down on the field. "Your death begins now. I end my turn."

"I don't think so. I don't like the look of those cards, so I play Harpie's Feather Duster, to remove all trap and spell cards you've played."

"I expected that, so I'll reveal my first face-down card- Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell! By discarding a Spell Card from my hand, I negate your Feather Duster, destroy it, and seal you from activating any other Feather Duster spells for the rest of the Duel.

"Then I'll show my second card- an idea I borrowed from Seto Kaiba. Deck Devastation Virus! By tributing my Dark Magician, I can look at your hand, all monsters you control, and all cards you draw until the end of your third turn. If there are any monsters with 1500 or less attack power revealed, they're instantly destroyed. And as we all know, the individual parts of Exodia are relatively weak. It's only when they're assembled that they become strong. But without those weaker parts... you'll never be able to complete the summoning. Your deck, and your dreams of beating me, are crumbling into dust!"

"No-!" The Rare Hunter stared down, watching the card count dwindle as piece after piece of Exodia vanished into the Graveyard. "I...I lost... my ultimate deck- it can't be-!" He slumped to his hands and knees, then snapped back up, clutching his head and beginning to scream. "Master- no, please- he's coming!"

"What da hell?!" Joey took a step back as the man fell, writhing in pain, his forehead swelling into the shape of an eye. "Yuge?!"

"Not I." Yami also stepped back. "I sense another presence, overwhelming him!"

The Rare Hunter fell still. Slowly, almost as if he were being pulled up by invisible wires, he stood. "So, Yugi Moto..." he husked. "Or should I say 'Pharaoh'?"

Yami bared his teeth and growled.

"I would complement you on your victory, but this worm is only the least of my Rare Hunters. It's hardly a challenge at all to defeat him. But let me introduce myself. The person talking to you now isn't this shell, you see. I've planted a bit of myself in his mind, so I can control him utterly whenever I want. Such is the power of my Millennium Item, the Millennium Rod."

"I know your name already." The Spirit smiled smugly. "You, I take it, are Marik."

For a second a look of shock passed over the Rare Hunter's features, replaced almost at once by rage. "How you knew that doesn't matter! It only makes things simpler. Yes, I'm Marik, and you'd do well to remember my name. I am the one who will bring you to your knees. My Rare Hunters are everywhere here, seeking the rarest of cards- the Egyptian God Monsters. I doubt you know of them, but I promise you, before I'm done you will experience the terror of facing the Gods."

"I'm not afraid of you, your Item, or your God Monsters. I'll face you anywhere, any time."

"When I'm ready." Marik laughed. "Now, since this useless fleshbag lost, I'll be gracious and abide by the rules. Here is your friend's card back, and for you, the Hunter's puzzle card. Our game, though, is only beginning." The man collapsed.

"Okay, dat was unexpected," Joey said. He looked sideways at Yami. "Pharaoh, huh? Ain't dat some kind of a king?"

"Ancient Egyptian word for a ruler," Bakura replied, kneeling by the Rare Hunter and feeling for a pulse. "He's not dead."

"No... but I very much doubt he'll be a threat to anyone ever again." Yami faced Joey, held out the Red-eyes card. "Here you are, Joey."

Joey glanced down at it, smiled a bit, then shook his head. "Nah, you keep it for a while. Might bring ya luck- kinda like a little piece'a me Dueling right alongside ya. Besides, I don't deserve it back yet, yanno?"

"Don't deserve it?"

"Seein' you Duel dat guy made me realize somethin'. I do okay, but okay don't cut it here. I need to get better, an' quick. The Red-eyes an' me, we been partners a while now. It means more ta me than any other card in Duel Monsters. But if I keep leanin' on it, I'll never have da kinda pride and confidence you've got, pal. So you hold onto dat card o'mine. When I'm ready... when I know I'm da best I can be... den I'll be back to challenge ya for it."

Yami studied Joey, then smiled. "I understand, my friend. Your card's safe with me, and when you're ready, I won't be hard to find. It'll be a Duel for the centuries, and I look forward to seeing the heart of your cards."

"I knew ya'd understand." Joey high-fived Yami. "Bakura, I'm trustin' you and your spook half to keep an eye on both'a dem. I got some Duels ta get into. Tris said he'd be over after he picked up Tèa from Burger World. Dey're not competin', but I'd feel better if somebody stuck close to Yuge."

"You just keep an eye out, Joey. You heard what my opponent said; the Rare Hunters are all over town."

"Hey, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." With a wave Joey turned and set off down the street.

 _/Your 'spook half'?/_

"It is accurate."

Kage snorted. _/Yami, how are you holding up?/_

 _/Well enough for now. As long as we're at this cafe, let's get something to drink and eat. That gives us an excuse to linger./_ Yami released control of the body. _/Chosen?/_

 _/Not so bad, aiseru. If we can keep the Duels short, I shouldn't have any issues. But, please, don't rush. Remember our fight with Mai at Duelist Kingdom. We have to focus on what's in front of us./_ Yugi pulled out a chair and sat. "I think I'd like a chai latte."

"That sounds wonderful. We'll make it two."


	9. Chapter 9

"You know, something's still nagging at me. Two somethings, really."

"What is it, Bakura?"

"First, the Rare Hunters outside my apartment. Why were they there? I'm not a well-known Duelist. Why would they assume I'd have anything they were interested in? For that matter, how would they know if I did or didn't? And that goes straight into the second question. How did they know Joey had a rare card?"

"I don't know." Yugi rubbed the back of his head. "When Joey called me to tell me about the Duel Disk, he said he'd been all over town, but everywhere he went it'd already sold out or been given out to ranked Duelists. The last shopkeeper he talked to, though, told him about a little place off Third and Pachinko that might still have a few left."

"Oh, that's not the best side of town to begin with. I should know, I had to pick up my Disk over there."

"Yeah really. Anyway, he got there just as the shop was closing, and he talked his way in, but at first the shopkeeper didn't want to give him a Disk... something about his Duelist rating only being a Level One. Joey turned around to leave and the guy called him back, said he was sorry, there was a computer glitch and Joey's rating was actually higher-" Yugi stopped. "Computer glitch," he whispered. "When Grandpa pulled up my information at our shop, it showed I was the highest level, that authorized me to receive a free Disk."

"Lucky you! I just squeaked by at Level Five."

"No, don't you see? The Rare Hunters attacked him right after that. They must've been waiting right outside! But how did they-"

 _/The Duel Level certification! Chosen, part of that showed our rarest card- the Dark Magician. If it displayed OUR rarest card-/_

 _/It would've shown Joey's and Bakura's as well. That's it! That card shop is a front for the Rare Hunters! Everyone that came through it looking for a Duel Disk would've had their information looked up too, and then the Hunters would know exactly who to go after. That's why they were outside Bakura's apartment. They were going to do the same thing to him that they did to Joey!/_

Instantly Yugi jumped up and took off running. Bakura stared after him, then shouted, "Hey, wait for me! Yugi!" and followed him.

He caught up within a few blocks; Yugi was doubled over, panting, one hand resting on the nearest wall. "I hate this," he complained. "I feel like I'm a million years old."

"Only five thousand. Well, half of you is anyway. What's the rush?"

"The shop you and Joey visited. I think that's the connection. A base for the Rare Hunters."

"Let's go have a look. No fear, though, it isn't going to up and disappear on us in the time it takes to walk."

When they got to Pachinko Boulevard, the two boys stopped and looked around. Almost every other building was vacant, some with windows boarded up, others simply painted over. "Poster child for urban renewal?" Bakura quipped.

"It's sad. And a little creepy too." Yugi pointed off to their left. "Is that it?"

"That's the one. It's the only occupied shop on that block. Let's have a look."

"Seems closed..." Yugi said as they drew closer. "No lights."

"No sign in the window..." Bakura tried the door. It clicked open and swung inward. "Not locked, either. I don't know as I quite like this." He glanced at Yugi. "It could be a trap."

"The only way to know is walk in."

Cautiously they made their way in. The interior was more or less clean, but the shelves were empty. A single battered computer monitor and keyboard sat on the front case. The only illumination came from a stairwell towards the back of the shop that led downwards.

"Could they get any more obvious?" Yugi asked, nodding at the stairs.

"Only if they'd hung a sign saying 'Spider's web, please enter here'," Bakura said. "Suppose we'd better oblige, hadn't we."

The stairs led down into a short hallway with a single door at the end. It was featureless save for a large question mark painted on the upper half. Yugi reached out and took hold of the latch, pushed. The door swung open soundlessly, revealing a large room whose walls were decorated with all sorts of odd objects: masks, skeletons, coffins, wands, and many other things that hinted at a fascination with magic and the occult. At the same time a strange odor reached them; heavy, thick, with a tang like rusted metal underlying it. "Ugh, what is that?" Yugi said, wrinkling his nose.

"I don't know, but it seems almost familiar, something at the back of my mind... why am I thinking about black pudding?"

"Black pudding? What in the world-?"

"Oh, it's traditional British fare, it's a kind of blo-" Bakura's face went still. "Blood sausage," he finished tonelessly. "That's the smell of blood."

"Who's there?"

Both young men jumped, looking for the source of the voice. They didn't have to look far. From a sunken area in the center of the room a figure rose, turned their way. "Is that you, Bakura? What're you doing here?"

"Pegasus!" Bakura and Yugi chorused.

"And little Yugi too? Oh my. I would say it's wonderful to see you but-" Pegasus's voice grew stern as the pair started forward. "No, both of you stay right there. You don't need to see this."

"Pegasus, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, I'll come to you." Pegasus came forward, smiling, but his visible eye didn't share that smile. "Let's go upstairs, shall we, if we're going to talk?"

 _/There's a body over here,/_ Kage announced.

"Oh, leave it to you, Thief, to blurt out the unpleasant truth. I was hoping to spare them."

"A body?" Yugi did a double-take. "Wait, you heard him?"

Pegasus cocked his head. "Yes, of course, why shouldn't I?"

"Um, ah..."

From behind the fall of white hair the smallest spark of golden light flickered. "Well, well," Pegasus murmured. "We do have some stories to tell, don't we? -It was a Duel," and he raised his arm to reveal a Duel Disk. "A very... high-stakes Duel. Not my choice. My opponent insisted, and I'm afraid he paid the price."

"You're part of the tournament?"

"At the request, no, dare I say, demand of our dear Kaiba-boy." He put a gentle hand on Yugi's shoulder. "You really don't need to see this. Humor me. Let's go upstairs."

 _/Whose body?/_ Yami asked as they climbed the stairs back up.

"A nasty little man calling himself Arkana. I think he was a stage magician of some sort at one point, if all of those props downstairs were actually his and not merely windowdressing. He challenged me to Duel. Said he wanted to find out if a Master of Magicians could defeat the Master of Duel Monsters. It would be excellent practice for his Duel with you, Yami."

 _/With me?/_

"Mm." Pegasus nodded. "He had a sorcerer's deck; three Dark Magicians and plenty of support cards for them. I believe the idea was to beat you with your own favorite card. When we got to his Duel Arena, he put on his 'greatest show of the century'. Both of us shackled down with a rotary saw aimed at us. As each of us lost Life Points, the saw on our side moved closer."

 _('They tried to cut off my legs!')_

Yami blanched. _Is that... what Yugi meant?! He had, WE had to face that?! /I think I can imagine the rest. Let us leave the story there. I AM glad you won, Maximillion./_

"Believe me, so am I."

"Brrr." Bakura shuddered. "This tournament is taking a nasty turn."

"We kinda knew it would." Yugi peered up at Pegasus. "You said earlier Kaiba 'demanded' you attend?"

"That? Oh, that was my polite way of saying he blackmailed me into it." Pegasus chuckled. "He really is pulling out all the stops on this one." Leaning on a card case, he waved a hand. "As you know, Industrial Illusions and KaibaCorp are partners in producing Duel Monsters. I created the game, and my company creates the cards. The artwork on those cards remains my intellectual property, but Kaiba has full rights to develop the technology that brings them to virtual reality. I paint them; my company prints them; they're shipped to Kaiba, and he embeds them with microcircuitry that contains their data. His system then reads that data and uses it as a template to create the virtual version of the monster, trap or spell. Industrial Illusions is paid for the cards and I receive an additional percentage of the profits from sales of the cards as my artist's commission. With me so far?"

Yugi and Bakura nodded.

"Kaiba phoned me about two weeks ago and told me about Battle City. He didn't say it outright, but there was no mistaking what would happen if I didn't agree to compete. Our business agreement would be terminated, and he would begin producing his own Duel Monster cards."

"He can't do that! Can he?"

"I'm sure I could fight him for it in court, but in the meantime everything I've worked for would be put on hold for years, if not decades. That would spell the end for Duel Monsters. Kaiba would suffer losses too, but his VR technology could be adapted to any of a dozen other game system. In the end, I'd lose far more than he would. At least as long as I'm the source, I can exercise some control over what is and isn't made into a card. Admittedly that control has been a bit slipshod from time to time..."

"Oh, you don't mean cards like 'Toon World', 'Doppleganger' and 'Relinquished', do you?" Bakura said. "They're so underpowered. Who could possibly regard them as a threat?"

"Sarcasm from one so young... *tsk*" Pegasus leaned forward slightly. "Now, your turn. Why were you so surprised I heard Kage, Yugi-boy?"

"I... guess because... I didn't expect you to. I mean, you don't have the Millennium Eye any more." Yugi stopped. "Wait a sec, of course you do. Why did I think-?" With a groan he let his head drop. "This is just terrific. Now I can't even tell which memories are the right ones."

"Is it something to do with your recent hospitalization?"

"You knew?"

"My computer network may not be as spectacular as Kaiba's, but it gets the job done. It delivers news feeds for my immediate attention based on a number of trigger words, such as your name. Believe me, if Kaiba hadn't stepped in to address your medical bills, I would've. I owe you for saving my life. If Yami hadn't shattered the darkness within me, I would've just continued to spiral downwards in my obsession and madness."

Yugi inhaled. "I'll tell you everything, but can it wait a couple of hours? We're supposed to meet Mai for dinner tonight, all of us. I want... I've made up my mind that everyone needs to hear what I'm going to say. No matter what the outcome."

 _/Chosen, are you sure?/_

"My friends and my family deserve to know. I'm not keeping any secrets any more, not from them."

Yami smiled. _/There speaks your courage, your greatest strength. Truly you have the heart of a Pharaoh, even if you didn't have mine in your keeping already./_


	10. Chapter 10

Later that evening, when dinner was done, Yugi quietly told his story. When he'd finished, one by one they stood, all of them; Joey first, then Tèa, followed by Bakura and Tristan and Serenity, Duke and Solomon, Mai and Pegasus. One by one they stood... and one by one they gathered around him, until he was the center of a network of arms, holding him tight, touching him on the shoulder or the back or whatever they could reach.

"Wish ya'd told me earlier," Joey whispered. "Dat's so like you, tryin' to carry all'a us, worrying ya gonna let us down. No matter how much it hurts, ya just keep standing tall and smilin' for us. When ya gonna remember we're here to hold you up, huh?" He ruffled Yugi's hair gently. " _Il cuor non spaglia_ \- da heart sees farther than da head. An' what my heart sees is somebody dat's as good as a brother to me."

"You came back for us," Tèa said, wiping her eyes. "Sure, okay, you came back for Yami... but you came back for us too. We're the lucky ones. You cared enough to give us back something we all thought we'd lost forever." Leaning down, she kissed Yugi's forehead. "Yugi Mutou- Moto, whatever- you're the best friend I ever had."

"And the best grandson," Solomon said, "he even likes my miso."

"What're you saying, I love your miso." Yugi hugged the old man fiercely. "I love you, Grandpa."

"I must be crazy to buy into all of this," Mai said, her voice suspiciously ragged. "Makes a terrific story, though. There needs to be more people like- oh, what'm I saying. If there were more people like you, Yugi, the rest of us losers would just have to crawl off into a corner somewhere."

"Okay, who's got the magic marker?" asked Tristan. "I can't see my ink, I need my ink."

"Got you covered." Duke held up a Sharpie. "On one condition. I want in on this too."

"Oh you're not leaving me out either. This is just getting interesting." Pegasus smiled. "Besides, I always wanted to be a Musketeer. You know, one for all and all for one? -Dibs on being D'artagnan."

"You guys..." Yugi's voice broke and he just held out his hand. The others took it while Tèa carefully drew the smiling face across their skin.

"Now everyone can see what real friends look like." Serenity hugged Yugi. "Thank you. Thank you for turning Joey's life around, and mine, and everyone's. We'll never be able to tell you how much that means... but this face is written on all our hearts, and it connects us all. It'll remind you, if you ever start worrying again."

"It sure will." Yugi glanced over to where Yami and Kage were standing. "It'll remind me that nothing can beat us if we stand together."

"So how many cards do you guys have?" Tèa asked, taking her seat again. "And, by the way, I am so mad that I didn't get to see any of you Duel! I want video replay. You can do that on the new Disks, can't you? Someone said you can."

"Yugi has his first card," Bakura answered. "I'm still trying to pin someone down. Hoping for better luck tomorrow."

"I got my first one." Joey grinned. "I beat a guy called Espa Roba. He had dis psychic thing goin'. Turned out ta be his brothers tippin' him off about cards from a rooftop."

"That's cheating!" Mai looked outraged. "That little creep! I hope you busted him out to Mokuba."

"Nah. I mean yeah, Mokie picked up on it, but I told'im let da Duel go on. Turns out Espa was tryin' to keep a top spot in da tournament so he could get street cred. He's got four little brothers, see. They're all a little weird lookin' if ya ask me... anyways, as long as people thought he was da real deal with dat ESP stuff, dey wouldn't pick on him or da kids. I can understand dat, lookin' out for someone." He squeezed Serenity's hand.

"One card for me as well," Mai said. "It's hard finding opponents when you have a whole city to search."

"Ooh, does that mean I win?" Max held up two cards.

"You never!" Mai poked him in the chest. "You have two? I hate you now."

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful and a spectacular Duelist, Mai darling- just hate me because I'm a spectacular Duelist." Pegasus laughed.

"Whatever." Mai tossed her head. "You're not using those crazy toon cards, are you?"

"Me? Not use my toons? Perish the thought! Although I will reassure you all, the versions in my deck have been rewritten to be tournament legal. For example, Toon World is now vulnerable to removal cards like Twister, and it also isn't a field spell card any more; it's a normal spell card that costs Life Points to activate. Just don't count on knocking me down if you do get rid of my toons- I have plenty of other cards in my deck now."

"Oh yeah?" Mai pushed her plate aside, eyes sparkling. "Then come on and show me this new and improved deck of yours. Just for fun, no ante. How about it?"

"Hm, trying to get a hint about my strategies?"

"You know it."

"I could use the practice... and I'll even promise not to use my Eye. Now how fair is that?"

 _/Feeling better?/_ Yami asked Yugi as Pegasus and Mai squared off across the table.

 _/You don't even know. Oh, wait. You DO know./_

 _/You can keep secrets very well, chosen, but you don't lie. I should've remembered that./_ Yami looked down and away. _/I should've been more willing to believe in you./_

 _/Stop. The past is over. We need to learn from it, sure, but only so we can keep looking to the future. We're not gonna be tied down by it anymore. Right?/_

 _/Right. Tonight, chosen... when we're back at home... will you come into my Soul Room? It's better now, somehow; it feels more real when I touch you. But it still isn't all that I want./_

Yugi felt a faint heat in his face. _/Yes, I will. It... it isn't all that I want, either./_

 _/Then we'll see if we can find what it is we both want./_


	11. Chapter 11

[WARNING: Lemon Alert. The ship is about to sail. Adult situations ahead.]

* * *

The moon glowed over the edge of the skylight, touching everything in the bedroom with faint silver light. A few clouds slid lazily over its face. Yugi watched from the bed as they grew more numerous and thicker. _Looks like a storm's brewing... that's gonna kill the Duels for a while. Maybe we could hang out at the Galleria... security there usually doesn't care if we're Dueling, as long as we stay in the food court. I'll bet Kaiba talked to them about Battle City too. He'd be sure to check weather reports, arrange for indoor venues. He doesn't care if any of us get soaked to the skin, but the water wouldn't do the Duel Disks any good._ He pulled the sheets up a little farther, wriggling into their warmth. _I'm a little scared... a little excited too. I want so much for this to be right._

 _Did I ever feel this way about the Pharaoh before? Did I ever want to lose myself in him? I don't... I don't think so. I think it's Yami. Something inside of him calls to something inside me, and I want to answer that call with everything I am. No matter where it takes me, I want to go._ With a soft sigh he closed his eyes, falling into the black.

The familiar corridor running to nowhere but here, the place in his (their) soul where they could touch, met him. He spared his Soul Room only a glance before turning to the other doorway, putting a hand on the door. "I'm here."

It swung noiselessly open, revealing the vast labyrinth of the Puzzle. This time, instead of cold gray stone only dimly visible, torches glowed in sconces all along the walls, making them look warm and bright. As he walked forward he could feel a lingering heat of a long cloudless day in the stone underfoot.

"Chosen." Yugi looked up, following the voice, to the staircase where Yami stood. "This way."

"It feels so different." Yugi walked up and took Yami's proffered hand. "Guess Bakura was right; it's happy we're here."

"It's happy _you're_ here." Reaching out, Yami opened one particular door, stepped aside and let Yugi see within. The smaller boy caught his breath in wonder.

The walls of this room were a dusky rose, painted here and there with garden scenes. Candles gleamed everywhere, set on metal lattices, in small clay pots, floating on bowls of water atop the few pieces of furniture: a table, with chairs draped in rich cloth and furs; a desk; a dressing-table with a great polished bronze mirror; bronze racks supporting reed baskets. At the far right wall a half-pipe poured a small stream of water into a sunken pool, and at the far left, near the window, stood a canopied bed, carved and decorated with images of animals.

"Is this-?"

"It seems familiar. I think... I think it must be my room, my bedroom, from the palace where I was born and lived. When I returned here earlier I was drawn to this place. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful, _aiseru._ Just... just like..." Yugi paused, shaking his head. "Why am I being shy? You know everything, even the things I didn't want anyone to find out about me. There are so many things I want to say, but I can't get them from my head to my mouth."

"Then say them a different way." Yami dropped Yugi's hand and softly kissed him. "Say it with these hands... this body."

Yugi reached up and twined his arms around Yami's neck. "I'll try," he answered, "but I don't know what I'm doing..."

"Mm, don't you?" Yami teased. "Are you sure? Don't I remember a videotape Joey lent you?"

"Yami!" Yugi turned bright red. "You were supposed to- I thought you- you were watching?!"

"Curiosity is difficult to control, even for a king. -Ah, Yugi, forgive me. I'm not trying to make you ill at ease."

 _"Bakayarou,"_ Yugi growled. Then the corners of his mouth turned up and he burst into laughter. "Like I said, even the things I never wanted anyone to know. Okay, you got me. Still, that, ah, that was a guy and a girl."

"I don't think it'll make much of a difference, chosen." Yami started unbuttoning Yugi's pajama shirt. "In fact, it might be easier. We've lived with our own bodies all our lives, haven't we? There are no mysteries about those shapes. Discovering how you like to be touched... showing you how to touch me... that's what I'm looking forward to." He let his thumb drift over the soft skin at the base of Yugi's throat, stroked the delicate collarbones. "You take my breath away," he whispered, and gave Yugi another kiss. A much longer one.

"I'm so pale," Yugi breathed as Yami continued to undress him. "I look like soap. Or a fish's tummy."

"You are glorious. A lotus blooming at night, snow under the stars- do you remember, when it snowed here? How I woke you up and demanded to know why pieces of the clouds were falling from the sky?"

"Yeah, it took me a minute to figure out you'd never seen snow."

"You took me outside and let me feel it falling on my face, my eyelashes... it was cold and it was magical and I could've stayed out there all night, except my feet were going numb and you wanted to go back to bed."

"I made it up to you. We had a great time building a snow fort and getting into a snowball fight with the gang- oh!" Yugi jumped a little as Yami's hands drifted down the line of his spine to tickle the cleft at the very end. "That's nice."

"I'll remember that." Stepping back, Yami gestured. "Your turn."

Slowly Yugi removed Yami's shirt, then the bottoms. It was easier than he'd imagined it would be to look Yami up and down, watch the candlelight play across his skin. Still easier to let his hands follow suit, running over the slim chest, sliding over the ribs to the small of the Pharaoh's back. Easiest of all to press against the warm body for another of those marvelous, dizzying kisses.

Somehow they crossed the floor without completely letting go or stumbling, found the bed and fell across it, Yugi on top. Daringly he trailed kisses down to Yami's throat, risked a nip that won him a soft growl, and slid his thigh between Yami's.

Yami responded with a low cry, half sigh, half moan, and arched up to meet that wonderful friction. Both his hands clutched Yugi's hips, trying to pull him closer still as they ground together, kisses deepening, tongues exchanging touches, hungry for the softness of each other's mouths.

After a few moments Yami rolled over, covering Yugi, and from that new vantage-point his hand could slide past Yugi's waist to explore, caress. That was only the first overture; next the Spirit kissed a line down the trail his fingers had blazed, pausing not at all as his mouth took up the task.

It was all Yugi could do to catch his breath. His body ached for, pleaded for, demanded release. "Wait, wait," he gasped, "too close, I'm about to lose it-!"

If Yami heard, he paid no attention. Or rather, he paid more attention; his motions intensified until the younger boy arched and wailed with ecstasy. As Yugi relaxed, Yami sat up, and Yugi found out which other emotion made purple turn to scarlet fire.

 _"Twe moorwet ntek nis zas mejhotru iny tayi ba,"_ Yami said- no, Atem _;_ the young God-King before whom a nation once trembled with both adoration and fear. _"Ntek laru vate, ohir twe poibo asade zas artru nis seger ntek kown twe darowe!"_

And the halls of the Puzzle echoed back his words:

 _I love you to the depths of my soul. You are mine, and I will break the heavens to keep you if I must!_

Nothing of the modern world about him at all, that thin veneer cast aside, five thousand years between their two lives, their two times. Such as Atem was the world had long forgotten. To love him was to love the storm, the shadows, the secret fires at the heart of earth and sky... and perhaps to be lost to any or all of those forever.

Yugi never hesitated. He reached out and laid a palm flat to Atem's chest, feeling the other boy's heart racing. "Your name is Atem," he said, "but you're my Yami. Forever my Yami. _You're mine too._ "

 _The Pharaoh bent over him. "Wonin mai nis io, setepen..."_

 _Then come to me, chosen..._

 _"Nit kown twe nesew xoto Peraa, ntek poibo shi tayi Itey."_

 _For if I am a Pharaoh, you shall be my Prince._

A touch, fingers opening a pathway, one body welcoming another, and a breath of wind blew out the candles.


	12. Chapter 12

Seto Kaiba stood on the roof of KaibaCorp, watching the storm moving across the bay. Hopefully by morning it would've blown itself out so that it didn't slow down the pace of Battle City. For now the sight of it, the jagged streaks of lightning, the echoes of thunder, was spectacular. He could almost feel the power stirring in the clouds, idly wondered if he dared take the Blue-eyes Jet up into it. It would be a challenge to keep any plane aloft in that.

 _/Foolish.../_

Seto's head snapped around. He was certain he'd heard a voice, though no one was to be seen up there but himself. Not even Mokuba, well and deservedly asleep in his rooms below. Kaiba allowed himself a small smile. _So proud of you, Mokuba. You're growing up strong. I swear, no one will ever take that strength, that power, away from you. No one will ever humiliate us or use us again._

 _/Blind idiot child!/_

That was enough. "Whoever you are, show yourself," Kaiba demanded. "I want to see who's throwing insults at me."

 _/You know nothing of power. You have no idea of true strength. You play with toys made of metal, filled with the sky's fire, while around you the hidden world stirs back to life. That which was sealed away rises from its grave to take you by the throat. To take us all./_

"What are you babbling about?" Kaiba's eyes darted back and forth, trying to pierce the nigh _t._

 _/Destiny is changing. And with that change-/_

"You can stop right there. I don't believe in destiny. I'm not concerned with the past; only the future. And it'll be a future that I decide, that I shape."

 _/So you think you too can unwrap the skein?/_ Something moved near one edge, barely enough for Kaiba to make out the shape of a man. _/You're doing so only to prove that there's no one and nothing that can defeat you. You already know that's a lie. The Pharaoh-/_

 _"_ Cut the bullshit! Are you one of Ishizu's helpers? Did she send you up here to rant at me about some five thousand year old destiny? A few carvings in a rock don't impress me. They certainly don't prove that Yugi and I are some kind of reincarnated souls, replaying a conflict from a past neither of us remember or care about. So get off my tower, either back the way you came or over the edge, it doesn't matter which."

 _/You cared once. You cared enough to carve that stone, the only token left of him. Not his name, not his body; he gave it all, condemned for eternity to keep prisoner that which he didn't even remember imprisoning. You took his throne and you ruled in his stead, and with every morning you prayed for his lost soul. With every afternoon you let his words guide you. With every night you wept, knowing the sacrifice he made for a world that had forgotten him utterly. YOU never forgot./_

 _"_ Who the hell are you?!"

Nearby a stroke of lightning caught the top of another building, and in its brief light Kaiba saw the man who was speaking to him.

His own face, his own eyes, looking back at him.

 _/Wake up, Seto Kaiba! Or he'll fall a second time, and this time there will be no other hope. Accept me, accept yourself!/_

"I don't believe this!" Seto clenched his fists. "I don't believe in you!"

A second bolt, closer still, enough to rattle the tower, and Kaiba instinctively threw up a hand to shield himself. When he looked again, his visitor was gone- if he'd ever truly been there at all.

 _Stress. Too little sleep. Guess Mokuba's right; I have been pushing myself. A good night's rest will stop this kind of nonsense from recurring._ Pivoting, Kaiba stalked off towards the roof elevator.

A sudden wind belled out the curtains of the hotel room, sweeping over Ishizu as she stood watching clouds gather over the stars. This at least was familiar. In the day this city far from her home lacked the heat that lay over everything like a veil, but at night the cool reminded her of the ancient desert.

There was more than cool in this breeze; she shivered, suddenly on edge, and crossed her arms in front of her. _Something is happening,_ she thought, _something is turning..._ her fingers stole up to touch the Millennium Necklace, to draw reassurance from it as she peered into the future.

With a gasp she stood wide-eyed, staring at nothing.

Nothing.

Neither in the real world nor in her visions _._

 _The future... it has changed! I no longer see my brother... the Pharaoh... their conflict. The destiny I set in motion, our salvation, our King's return... gone! What's happened?! What could've changed? Is... is the King, is his vessel, are they, have they been struck down? So soon? Surely Marik would not dare to move so boldly! Not without claiming the Gods. Oh, my brother, what have you done? What's to become of you, of us, the whole world!_

The wind sent the curtains billowing again as a distant rumble of thunder drifted through the air. The clouds swirled, the sky taking on a lurid glow as the lights from the city reflected on them.

Then...

A gap through which a single beam of moonlight reached down. In her mind's eye Ishizu saw her vision clear. A glimpse, no more; two winged crowns, one wrought of gold, one of silver; shadows, fighting in the streets as they had so long ago; her brother, his face contorted in agony as a blackness rose up from him, taking on a shape she knew and didn't know; the Millennium Rod, its Wdjat Eye weeping blood.

 _/Isis! Beware!/_

The woman whirled. "Who's there?!"

 _/You must warn him. The boy won't listen to me. The Pharaoh has set his hands on the tiller of Fate and turned its course. That which remains will seize this chance. It's only a shard, a fragment, but it poisons and corrupts as ever it was wont to. Warn him, Isis! We mustn't fail the Pharaoh again!/_

A crash made her jump. One curtain had pushed over a small lamp, sending it to the floor. She bent and picked it up, set it back on the table, then stared out the window again. "What is it that you would warn us against," she whispered, "and... who are you..?"

Morning came fitfully, pushing its way through the remnants of the night's tempest. Outside the street was littered with branches, leaves, the occasional small shop sign torn off and flung down.

 _Wow, how did I sleep through that? It almost looks like a tornado went through._

 _Well, to be honest... I wasn't exactly SLEEPING, was I._ Yugi smothered a laugh. _My body was, but not the rest of me!_

 _I feel great, though. I feel like I could climb up the side of KaibaCorp Tower. Better not put that to the test, I guess._ Whistling, he got his shower and then stared into the closet. _Um. Black tank, black jeans, boots- no wonder Keith called me a baby Goth. Maybe I could wear something a little different? How about a white top instead, and... yeah, this windbreaker, push up the sleeves... perfect! Now breakfast._

 _"Ohayo gozaimasu,_ Grandpa!" Yugi called out as he walked down the hall.

 _"_ Good morning to you too! Whoo, did you take a look outside? I'm surprised our sign didn't blow down. The morning news said someone spotted a waterspout out on Domino Bay right at dawn."

"Really? Kinda sorry I missed that."

"So'm I. I've seen waterspouts before- not often, mind you- and they're amazing. Scary, but amazing." Solomon nodded at the stove. "Okonomiyaki for breakfast. By the way, I'm coming with you today. Thought I'd cheer you on."

"Great! We're all meeting up at the Galleria at ten. I thought we could hang out there for a while, then try the Municipal Park. It's not far from the mall, so I don't think I'll get too tired walking over."

After a slightly nerve-wracking (for Yugi, anyway) bus ride, he and Solomon arrived at the mall. Joey, Tristan and Tèa were already there, sitting on the front steps. "Yo, Yuge!"

"Morning guys."

"Hi, Mr. Moto," Tèa said. "How'd you guys come through the storm? One of the trees in our neighbor's backyard pushed down part of our fence. My dad's kind of mad about it. He's been asking Mr. Paulson to cut the tree back for years."

"No serious damage." Solomon pointed a thumb at Yugi. "Mr. Van Winkle over there slept through the whole thing."

"Yugi!" Tèa gave him a nudge. "How? I swear, I thought the thunder was going to break my bedroom window!"

"Ah, just... really tired I guess?"

"Hm." She gave him a skeptical look. "Did Yami keep you up half the night working on a deck again?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Duke called, said the sewer lines backed up into the shop with all the rain that fell." Tristan shrugged. "He's helping his dad take inventory for the insurance adjusters. He'll catch up with us as soon as he can."

"Anyone heard from Bakura?"

"Nah, but power's out on our side'a town, so we figured we'd give 'im till ten, den call 'im, make sure he's up." Joey stretched out.

"Why don't we head on in and wait for him at the food court?" suggested Tèa.

"Dat's a good idea. I could use a snack to strengthen me. Ya can't draw good cards if you're weak from hunger, yanno." Joey got to his feet, tossed an arm over Tristan's shoulders. "An' I bet my good buddy Tris here wouldn't wanna see me go down in flames because he din't buy me a Double Devil Dog."

Tristan made a face. "Translation: you're broke."

"Hey, you're da one whose dad is boss of his own custom car an' cycle build shop."

"And that suddenly makes me a money tree?"

 _/I'm a little nervous,/_ Yugi said silently as Joey and Tris continued their bickering. _/It's not like Bakura to be late./_

 _/No, it isn't. /_ Yami materialized and fell into step with Yugi. _/I'm sure if something serious had happened, they would've found a way to let us know. Perhaps they got called into a Duel./_

 _/Let's hope so./_

 _/By the way, good morning. You're adorable when you're sleeping./_

 _/Yami!/_

 _/It's true. I watched you. After I finally LET you sleep, that is./_

 _/YA-MI!/_

The Spirit laughed.

 _/Oh you are just FULL of yourself today, aren't you? -Don't. Don't you dare make a comment about that. I can feel you WAITING to turn that around on me./_

 _/Very well, I'll mind my manners. For now. You may have to persuade me later to continue to do so./_

 _/And what did you have in mind?/_

One eyebrow arched as a slow smile appeared. _/I will give the matter some thought. I'm certain there's something you can do to appease me. Something to do with kisses, I believe. Yes. That will do. To begin with./_

 _/Oh my God I've created a monster./_

 _/It's your own fault./_

 _/How do you figure that?!/_

 _/For being you./_ Softly. _/For being all my hopes and dreams./_

 _/...It's going to be impossible to stay mad at you. I just know it is./_


	13. Chapter 13

A soft chirp from his pocket interrupted the conversation. Yugi fished out his cellphone, glanced at the display. "Oh, finally! -Hey, Bakura!"

"Hello! Over at the mall yet?"

"Yeah, we're all waiting for you."

"Sorry, got delayed. I've got my first cards. I'm at the park. Bring everyone over- I spotted Mako and Weevil earlier, I think they're still here. And tell Tèa I figured out how to record and replay a Duel, if she's interested."

"Good deal. We'll be right over." Hanging up, Yugi called, "Bakura's at the park, he says there's Duelists there. Says he knows how to replay Duels too."

"Den what're we waitin' for?" Joey crammed down the last bite of his hot dog. "Let's roll!"

Bakura was waiting at the entrance to Municipal Park, and as soon as he saw them he ran up, waving something. "Look, look, isn't it grand? Call of the Haunted!"

"Sounds like dat's right up ya alley. Hey, waitasec, dat card seems familiar..." Joey thought about it. "Yeah... that creepy kid Bonz dat hung with Bandit Keith! Man, he nearly aced me with dat one. Does dat mean..."

"Right in one." Bakura beamed. "It was the undead versus the supernatural! Bit of a tough go, but he couldn't stand up to my Dark Necrofear."

"Way ta go!" Joey high-fived Bakura. "But ya better've left me an' Yuge a little trouble ta get into."

"Weevil Underwood and Mako Tsunami were here a little while ago. They actually watched my Duel. I think Mako headed to the park pond; not sure about Weevil."

"Weevil, huh? I owe dat little scumsucker for tossin' Grandpa's cards in da drink. Think I'll go see if I can flush'm outta da bushes. Who's with me?"

"I'll come along," Tristan said.

Bakura nodded. "Me too. If he's won more than once, maybe I can challenge him when you're done, Joey."

"I'll stick with Yugi," Tèa said. "If he picks up someone, I'll call you, Tristan."

"You can call me anytime," Tristan said, leaning over to give Tèa a kiss. Yugi watched a little wistfully. _I guess while I was out of action Tris finally stepped up... well, you know what, that's great. He'll be good for Tèa... and I KNOW who's good for me._ "So, you boyfriended up now?" he asked Tèa when Tristan was out of sight.

She blushed. "...Yeah. That... are you okay with that?"

"Uh-huh. Tris is terrific."

"You sure?" Tèa turned, taking one of his hands. "We've been hanging around together since we were kids. Whenever I was down you were right there to make me feel better. I... kind of thought.. maybe you had a little bit of a crush on me."

"I did. But things've changed for both of us, Tèa. If you and Tristan are together, I couldn't be happier. And this isn't me being all noble and stuff. I... found the one I want to be with, too."

"Who?"

It was Yugi's turn to blush. "Somebody I'm super close to."

Tèa looked puzzled for a moment; then her eyes widened. "Yami?" she mouthed.

"Yep."

The next second Yugi was enveloped in a hug. "OhmyGoddd that's so cuuuute!" Tèa let go, leaned in. "Have you kissed yet? Is he a good kisser? Have you made out? How far did you get?!"

"Tèa, please! Keep it on the down-low!"

"Why? -Oh. Duh. Invisible boyfriend. Got it." She looked thoughtful. "I suppose that makes it a little difficult..."

"We've worked it out."

"Are you happy, Yugi? That's the most important thing I want you to tell me."

"I don't think I could ever be happier."

"Good. If you weren't, Pharaoh or not, *pow*" Tèa balled up one fist. "Right in the snoot, next time I saw him. He'd better make darn sure my childhood bestie stays happy."

Yugi felt a gentle push. "How about I let him answer that."

As soon as he was in control, Yami met Tèa's gaze full-on and nodded. "I will," he said. "I'll give Yugi every reason I can think of to smile, and I will never stop showing him how much he means to me. You have my word on it, Tèa."

She smiled and gave Yami a hug as well. "You two are perfect for one another. Don't ever let anyone try to convince you otherwise. It's a big world; it isn't easy to find somebody you really feel a connection to, somebody that understands your dreams and makes them want to come true as much as you yourself do. You're going to have a hard time, but remember, there isn't one of us that won't be pulling for you, Yami. After five thousand years, you deserve a happy ending."

A little hesitantly, Yami turned to Solomon, who'd been quiet the entire time. "And you, Grandpa... I-"

Solomon held up a finger. "Ever since I found the Millennium Puzzle," he said, "ever since Yugi put it together, I've known he was chosen for something few of us could understand, let alone accept. We make such a fuss about love being something of the heart, but it's also something of the soul. Tèa's right; your lives together are not going to be easy. The easy things, though, are usually not the ones that mean the most. My grandson has a fine young man to take care of him and love him. That's all I'm concerned about."

Yami bowed his head. "Thank you. Both of you."

"Okay, so, time's wasting." Tèa struck a pose, pointing dramatically forward. "The road to battle awaits!" She paused. "Hey, um... where'd everyone else go? Weren't there more people in the park than this a minute ago?"

Yami crouched slightly, raising his Duel Disk. "Stay close to me. I don't like this."

The sound of running footsteps made them all look around to see a form racing their way. It vaulted a park bench and skidded to a stop, facing them. Shaven head, piercings, baggy pants; at first glance, almost impossible to tell if the skinny form was male or female. The most unnerving thing about them was the total lack of expression on the face. Tèa shivered and drew back behind Grandpa. "What... who is that?" she said.

Slowly a symbol of an eye formed on the forehead of the newcomer. "So, Pharaoh," it rasped. "Or would you prefer 'Yami'? We meet again. It's too bad. I was hoping to have some time with your little vessel before I sent you both to your doom."

"Marik," Yami answered grimly. "What is this?"

"This? Just a toy of mine, a silent little doll I placed here in the park to wait for you. I've given him something very special; can you guess what it is? No? I'll give you a hint. Do you remember when I promised you'd experience the terror of facing the Gods? There's one right here, right now." The figure raised his free hand, tapped his Duel Disk.

"This doll of yours has seen better days, Marik. Not very impressive, for a bearer of the Gods."

"Oh, he's quite serviceable, I assure you. He went mad years ago, my pretty little mime; he killed his parents, you know, and out of guilt his mind broke. He locked all his emotions away and became an empty vessel... not so very dissimilar to yours, don't you think?"

"Yugi is nothing like that shambling shell!"

"Keh he he. Touched a nerve? For me, there's no better weapon. I don't care a thing for him, and he doesn't care about anything either. My will dominates him utterly. If I win this Duel, this toy will kill you, without hesitation. No matter where you run or hide, he'll follow you."

"I don't intend to do either. If you want a Duel, then let's begin. Whatever I have to do to win, I'll do it- even if I have to defeat a God!"

The first four turns were an exchange of move and countermove, each Duelist feeling the other out. After losing the first exchange to his opponent, Marik's Revival Jam successfully blocked Yami's second assault; then the Nightmare Steel Cage bought him the time he needed to gather three monsters onto the field. "Well, Pharaoh? What do you feel, trapped in that cage? Despair? Sorrow? Humiliation? Hate? That's what I've felt since I was small. But now I'll show you freedom... and the ultimate fear. Are you ready?... This is Slifer."

For a heartbeat nothing happened. The the sky seemed to explode, bolts of lightning crackling from empty air, dancing across the ground. It was like standing in the heart of last night's storm; in the midst of the surging winds and electrical arcs a shape grew, twisting around itself, almost as if the electricity were weaving it together. Then a massive head thrust down towards the cage, blank white eyes staring balefully as its mouth opened, roaring.

Yami's eyes widened _. I can't move-! Not... not just the cage... the power coming from Slifer... It's fear that's holding me! I'm terrified! How can I defeat such a creature? It's like the earth itself trembles at its very presence..._

Over on the sidelines Tèa staggered and flailed her arms, trying to keep from toppling over completely. "Yugi! Yami!" she screamed. "Mr. Moto! We have to do something!"

"There's nothing we can do!" The old man shielded his eyes. "Even if we had a way to match that kind of power, we can't interfere! Yugi would automatically lose due to outside intervention!"

"If you're wondering how you can beat this beast... stop trying," Marik taunted as Slifer slowly circled the cage. "No Duelist can stand against Slifer's infinite power. Not even you, Yami. You and your vessel are powerless against the great Sky Dragon God. You see, Slifer's attack points equal the number of cards I hold times a thousand. Right now it's only three thousand... heh... but we can go much higher than that. Much higher."

 _What does he mean? It will increase with each card he draws, it's true; but the rules say a player can only hold a maximum of seven cards. Seven thousand... it's almost unthinkable. I must find a way to weaken and destroy Slifer before Marik can reach that level. There's nothing in our deck that can come close to matching it at full power._

"What's wrong, o mighty King Yami? Are you too frightened to make a move? My Nightmare Cage will vanish next turn, leaving us both free to attack again... but of course by then Slifer will be stronger than your Buster Blader. Maybe you want to send little Yugi out to play with me? Perhaps he'll put up more of a fight than you are right now."

 _Yugi! I can't lose him. I can't lose! My memories.. our life together... I want to see the land he came from; the great snow capped mountain in some of Grandpa's pictures. I want to show him the plains and dunes of Khemet, even if it isn't my Khemet any more. I want to see the whole world through his eyes. I want to make new memories with him, with our friends, grow old with him... I WANT TO LIVE!_ One fist squeezed tight. _I can't let everyone down! THINK!_ Drawing a card, Yami studied what he held. "I'll play two cards down, and Kuriboh in defense mode. My turn's done."

The cage vanished.

Slifer attacked.

"Go, Lightforce Sword! Remove a card from Marik's hand!" As the spell took effect, Yami shouted, "Buster Blader! Strike down your foe!"

And the Revival Jam was there, suddenly, taking the attack in Slifer's place.

"Too bad, you triggered my face down card, Jam Defender. Now any attack you launch will be redirected to the Revival Jam. It'll be destroyed, of course, but then it will regenerate. Now, try this on for size- Spell of Safe Return. It lets me draw three cards from my deck every time the Jam returns. The end of Buster Blader!" Marik laughed as Slifer annihilated the warrior. "Your turn. Don't let me down. I want to see you sweat and squirm as you struggle in vain to escape me."

Another card drawn; Yami stared at it. _Magic Cylinder... I need a spellcaster to operate it. Dark Magician Girl, you're my only hope._ "I sacrifice Kuriboh to summon my Dark Magician Girl!"

"Surprise! Slifer has a hidden ability, which you've just triggered. Behold Summon Lightning Shot! Any monster you summon, Slifer will automatically attack it. If it's less than two thousand and in defense mode, it's destroyed instantly. If it's in attack mode and over two thousand, it loses two thousand points. Watch as your little magician is annihilated!"

"Magical Hats!" Yami cast the spell, gritting his teeth. "You missed her, Marik! She's hidden safely, and I'll put these two cards face-down as well. Can you guess which hat hides the Dark Magician Girl? Guess well, or you're in for a surprise. That's the end of my turn."

"My turn. One more present for you... behold the spell, Infinite Cards. Now I can hold as many cards as I want to without having to discard. Didn't I tell you earlier? Slifer's power is infinite. The more cards in my hand, the stronger Slifer becomes. Resume your attack, my perfect beast! The hat on the right!"

 _He's on it! This must work, or I-_ Gritting his teeth, Yami watched as the Magic Cylinder and Spellbinding Circle both activated, pinning Slifer down, redirecting its attack back at it-

And the Jam intercepted yet again.

"No!"

"Yes!" Marik howled laughter as the Sky Dragon effortlessly erased the Dark Magician Girl from the field.

 _...I can't... I can't beat it..._ Yami fell to his knees. _There's no way..._


	14. Chapter 14

"Get on your feet, Yugi!"

Startled, Yami looked around. On his other side a new figure had come up, unnoticed till now: Seto Kaiba, with Mokuba in tow. Arms folded, eyes narrowed, he glared at Yami. "This isn't where your life as a Duelist ends. Stand up! You're one of the few people I acknowledge as a worthy opponent. The journey of our battles goes farther than either of us can see. Don't tell me you're going to stop now. I won't accept it! If even a God stands in your path- mow it down!"

Slowly Yami stood. "I draw, and I'll play Big Shield Guardna, defense mode." He winced as Slifer's automatic attack crashed down, the other Duel Monster barely surviving the assault. "Your move."

"Ten cards now. Ten thousand points, Yami!" Marik turned his mind-puppet towards Kaiba, made him grin maniacally. "Yes, Seto Kaiba, watch! Watch your own impending doom. When I'm done with Yami, I'll come for you! Nothing can stop Slifer. Its power is infinite!"

 _/If I run out of monsters, I'm done. My next breath could be my last.../_

 _/Aiseru.../_

 _/Chosen.../_ Yami turned, looking pleadingly at Yugi _. /I don't know what to do. I've tried everything I could think of. These Gods... it's no wonder Pegasus feared them so. I'm not sure even Exodia could match them./_

 _/I know. But Kaiba's right. We can't stop now. We can't let Marik stop us. There has to be a way. Nothing in Duel Monsters is invincible. Slifer MUST have a weakness. We just have to find it./_

 _/In one turn?!/_

A small ghostly hand crept over Yami's _. /You have to keep fighting. I still believe in the Heart of the Cards._

 _/As do I... but will I know what they're trying to tell me? Will I understand how to use what the Heart guides into my hand? So much depends on this! On the next card I draw.../_

 _/The next card... Slifer depends on cards too. It gains its strength from them./_

 _/And if those cards were stripped away, its strength would falter. But it has that automatic attack; that will crush almost anything I bring to the field the second it appears. And the Jam, the Revival Jam. It would still shield Slifer if I tried to-/_ Yami's eyes widened; his head snapped up.

"Big brother, that guy's major trouble," Mokuba said, looking worried. "That dragon of his gets stronger every turn! How can anyone beat that?" He blinked. "Um... why're you smiling?"

"Look at Yugi, Mokuba." Seto nodded. "See how he's standing. He knows. He's found the answer." Raising his voice, Kaiba called out, "Yugi! Do you see it? The God's deception?"

Yami turned; smiled grimly. "Yes, Kaiba. -Marik, you lie. Nothing is infinite, least of all Slifer's power."

"What!" Marik snarled. "What are you babbling about?!"

"I'll show you." Without looking, Yami drew a card, lifted it high. "This is the end of our Duel. You will lose."

"He didn't even look at it!" Mokuba protested. "How can he-?"

"Look closely, little brother. This is the power of a true Duelist. This is why Yugi is worthy."

Monster Reborn; Buster Blader to the field; an attack on the Jam, and Brain Control to make it a shield against Slifer, forced by its own ability to attack over and over, draining cards from Marik's deck until the last one fluttered to the ground. The mime followed, collapsing limp and motionless.

"Yami!" Tèa ran over, trailed by Grandpa, and flung her arms around Yami's neck. "You did it, you did it! I was so worried!"

"That makes two of us," Solomon said. "Well done, my boy."

As Mokuba began picking up the mime's deck, Kaiba stared at Yami. _That's right, Yugi. Now you, like me, are chosen to carry a God. As I knew you would be. You're the only one here who could possibly be my true rival, a worthy foe. Now, when I beat you, it will mean something. It'll mean EVERYTHING._ He frowned; squinted. Just to Yugi's left side-

What was that? Something stirring in the air, a haze, an outline-

Kaiba drew in a sharp breath. Like a Magic Eye picture, the image came clear all at once. A second form, see-through, softer eyes and smaller frame; even as the taller form turned to it, hands clasping the ghost's, Kaiba knew it. Knew him.

 _Yugi?!_

 _But that's Yugi right there!_

 _/No. That's the Pharaoh. My King. Your King. The one whose presence you continue to deny, just as you deny me. He dwells within the honored vessel, may his name be praised for ten thousand centuries./_

 _OH what the HELL!_ Kaiba spun around, fully intending on smashing a fist into the speaker's face, and stopped. His arm fell to his side.

This time there wasn't any storm, any veil of night, to hide the man before him. His own face, his own eyes, skin a darker shade, clad in robes and adorned in gold. His eyes were locked on Seto's, both determined and pitying. Neither emotion made Kaiba feel any less enraged... and somewhere, deep inside, less terrified. "Who... are you..." he whispered.

 _/Seto, son of Aknadin. Son of the betrayer, though I didn't know until the very end. That is my sole pardon for not sharing in his guilt and treachery. That, and the trust of my Pharaoh./_ His gaze tracked over to Yugi. _/I am who you were. You are what I became. In casting aside your past, you threw me aside as well, and I won't have it. Not any longer. He will need us, and whether you like it or not, you WILL remember. You WILL learn. And you WILL accept your place beside him. He will have great need of you... of me./_

 _"I will never accept you!"_ Kaiba caught himself, glanced hastily back over his shoulder at the others, who were all staring at his outburst. Swallowing, he straightened, his intention to challenge Yugi dying away. _No. Not right now. I need to get hold of myself first. These hallucinations have got to stop_. "Mokuba, are we done here?"

"Uh... yeah, big brother. The rarest card in this guy's deck was the God card, so I awarded it to Yugi."

"That's fine." Kaiba spared Yugi a second glance, trying very hard to ignore that small translucent shape standing close beside his rival. "In consideration of your health issues, I'm going to let you take a break before we Duel. Count yourself lucky. Let's go, Mokuba." He turned and walked off.

 _/What was THAT about?/_

 _/I've no idea./_ Now that the Duel was over, Yami felt fatigue setting in. "I need to sit. That took a lot out of us."

"C'mon. Over here." Tèa took Yami's arm and steered him to a bench. "No complaints about having to lean on a girl, either."

"At this point, would it do any good to complain even if I wanted to? I appreciate your help. Thank you, Tèa."

 _/Hey... why don't you let me take over for a while? You can rest in my heart./_

 _/We still only have two locator cards. And I'm sure Marik is already planning his next move. Losing Slifer to us means he has to FACE Slifer in order to stand a chance of recovering it, whether he does it with another pawn or finally meets us face-to-face./_

 _/Yeah, I get that. But I want to fight too. Who knows, maybe I'll surprise you with some of my sick moves./_

 _/Sick? You're not feeling well?/_

 _/No, no, it's slang. When you say something's sick, you mean it's awesome. Like, 'that new album by Five Finger Death Punch is way sick'./_

 _/...Chosen, you make my head hurt on one side sometimes./_ Yami chuckled. _/All right. But if you feel you're in over your head, call me forth./_

Joey grimaced. _Man, dis is not lookin' good for me. Dat Parasite Paracide card Weevil played not only chewed a thousand life points offa me, now it's got all my monsters turned inta creepy bugs, an' his Insect Barrier has me stopped cold! I promised Yugi an' Yami I'd be there at the end with 'em. I need ta turn dis around right now._

"He's completely shut down poor Joey's deck!" Bakura shook his head. "Anything he summons will get turned into an insect type and be helpless to attack. And if that wasn't bad enough, every bug on the field increases the Insect Queen's power."

"There's a way out, isn't there?" Tristan clenched a fist. "There's gotta be!"

 _/Joey's going to have to do some fast thinking to beat Weevil. Too bad he doesn't have anything that counters a spell card in his deck.../_ Kage folded his arms. _/Still... there's a card I can think of that would turn this in his favor. If he draws it./_ "Joey! Don't give up! You have all it takes. Trust in your cards!" he shouted, taking over from Bakura for a moment.

Joey paused a moment and looked over at his friends. _Kage? Everything I need, huh?_ He stared at his Duel Disk. _Maybe I dunno where ya came from, but even if you're a sneaky sunnuva, you've never steered us wrong. C'mon, deck, show me some love._ He drew a card. _YES!_

"Okay, Weevil, get ready ta lose, cause I just found da weakness in ya Insect Combo! I play one face down card, den I summon this- Gearfried da Iron Knight, in attack mode!"

"You poor fool!" sneered Weevil. "You're just giving my beautiful Queen more strength! Watch as my Parasite crawls inside and... what..? It's not working?!"

"Dat's because Gearfried's made of iron, or didn't ya know dat? Not even that stinky Parasite of yours can live inside'a hunk of metal. Annnnd since he ain't an insect, he can cut right through the Insect Barrier. Go, Gearfried! Cut down da Queen's larva!" Joey smirked. "Cause I figured it out- dose larva of yours, dey ain't really cards. Dey can't defend, so ya put up the Barrier to keep 'em safe. Too bad for you. My turn's done."

"So what! My Queen still has enough power to destroy Gearfried. Once he's out of the way, you have nothing to protect you from Her Majesty. So go! My Insect Queen, take out his last defense!"

"Heh. Like you say, 'you fool'!" Joey grinned. "Forgot my face-down card? Yanno, I hate bugs. So lemme borrow somethin' from ya, courtesy of my Graverobber card. Have a nice shot of Insecticide! Bye bye, Queenie- and hasta la vista, Bug-Boy!"

"N-no... this can't be..." Weevil slumped. "You're just an amateur! How could someone like you defeat my unbeatable bugs?"

"You wanna know how I beat ya? I'll tell ya. You may have some strong cards, but a cheater like you ain't got a chance in dis game. You don't respect nothin', and your cards don't respect you." Joey turned, waved at Bakura and Tristan. "Yo, guys! Let's go catch up with Yuge."

"Man, that was slammin!" Tris slapped Joey on the back. "Ownage!"

"Heh heh, yeah, I was pretty cool, right? Who's da man? Ya lookin' at him right here! Joey's da man."

"I still don't believe you bet him your entire deck and your locator card for his two cards, Joey," Bakura said. "That was pretty risky."

"Paid off, din't it?"

"I suppose-" The blond stopped, expression changing. "Stop, both of you. Don't go any further."

"Wha-? Kage? What's up, bud?" Tristan looked puzzled, then concerned, as Kage lifted the Millennium Ring. One of its pointers was angled out to the side of them. "Oh oh. That thing only does that when-"

"When it either finds something I'm seeking," Kage finished, "or it senses the presence of another Millennium Item. One it hasn't encountered before. I'll leave it to you to guess which it is this time." Hie eyes narrowed. "And guess what else: we're not alone."

Instantly Joey and Tristan moved closer, putting their backs to Kage's. "Another ambush?" Joey said softly.

"It would seem so. -You might as well come out. I know you're there."

Six robed figures stepped out of the brush on either side of the park path. One levelled a hand in the group's direction. "Our Master demands your presence," he said. "Willingly or not, you will come with us now."

"I don't t'ink so." Joey crouched, fists balling. "You're more'a dose Rare Hunter creepazoids. I still gotta bone ta pick with you goons for tryin' to take my rare cards an' cut me outta da tournament."

"I haven't been in a good beat down for a while," added Tristan, cracking his knuckles. "You look like the cure for that."

"You pathetic morons have no idea what you're dealing with." Kage laid two fingers to his deck. "Begone, or I'll show you a real Duel."

"If you think you can best me, feel free to try." A seventh figure stepped out, lifting a golden scepter into sight. "My Millennium Rod is easily a match for your pathetic Ring."

"Oh crap." Tristan took a half-step back.

 _Seven to three... not my favorite odds._ Kage's eyes flicked from Joey to Tristan, then back at the figure with the Rod. _Tristan's a passable Duelist; Joey is more than passable. Neither of them is experienced at Shadow Games, though. This could turn very deadly, very quickly._ Aloud he asked, "You. You're Marik, aren't you?"

"My reputation precedes me." The figure bowed mockingly. "I just want you three to attend a very special rematch, that's all. Little Yugi's invited too, although he doesn't know it yet. You're going to be my guarantee he doesn't turn down the invitation."

"You leave Yuge outta dis! You gotta somethin' on us, you bring it to us."

"On you? Heh. You're only a moment's diversion to me. It's the Pharaoh I want, and to get to him, I have to get to your friend. Or should I say get through your friend. After all, if you want what's inside, you have to break open the vessel, don't you?"

"There is no way in hell we're letting you hurt our pal!" Tristan started forward.

"Tristan, no!" Kage put out an arm, but as he did the robed figure raised the Rod aloft. A blinding light shone from it, dazzling all three. Instantly their assailants jumped on them, blackjacks sliding out of their sleeves.

Marik smiled cruelly. "When you've schooled them in proper manners, bring them along to the docks. I have a message to deliver to the Pharaoh."


	15. Chapter 15

"C'mon... come on! Answer!" Tèa made a face and shook her phone.

"Is something wrong?" Solomon peered at the girl.

"I was trying to call Tristan, but he's not picking up. If that idiot forgot to take it off silent mode I'll strangle him. At least... I hope that's what he did..." Her face lit up as the phone started ringing. "Oh thank goodness. -it's about time! You scared me half to death!... Oh..." Tèa's face went pale.

"Tèa? What is it, child?"

She turned frightened eyes to Solomon and Yugi. "It's that Marik guy," she said, "it came in on Tristan's number..."

"Oh no!" Yugi stood. "Put it on speaker!"

Tèa nodded, held the phone out towards Yugi.

"Marik! What are you doing with Tristan's phone?"

"Maybe you should be asking, what am I doing with Tristan." A laugh. "And with your other two friends. The answer is, nothing... for the moment. Although I might have to thank you for delivering another Millennium Item into my keeping."

"You leave them alone! Your quarrel is with me and Yami. They don't need to be involved!"

"Oh, but they do. We need an audience for our rematch don't we? You wouldn't want them to miss this. So let's play a different game. You like games, don't you? This one is Hide and Seek. I've hidden your friends; you have to find them before sunset. If you don't, you lose... lose all three of them, that is. Forever!" Marik hung up.

"This is a trap," Solomon muttered. "You know it is."

"Doesn't matter. I've got to try to find them!"

"What do you mean, 'you've'?" Grandpa scowled. "You're not going without Tèa and I."

"But, Grandpa... I don't want to put you two in danger too..."

"We're already in danger, grandson. We have been since the moment that looney-tune showed up. You might need our help."

Yugi paused. "Okay. It's not like I can make you stay behind. Let's all go."

As they reached the entrance to the park, two robed figures stepped out, one tall, one short. "Stop right there," they chorused.

"What is this! Hey, you jerks, move! We don't have time to play!" Tèa glared.

"Sorry, little lady," the taller of the two said, "it's not you we're interested in. If you want to get out of the park, Yugi, you'll have to Duel us."

"If you win, we'll even tell you where to find your pals," the shorter added. He looked at his companion. "So, which of us should go first? How about you?"

"No, I insist, after you," the tall one replied.

"How about we rock-paper-scissors for it?"

Yugi bit his lip as the Rare Hunters went through several turns of the game, each time tying. _They're here to make me waste time!_ "Hurry up!"

"Sorry, we can't decide," they chorused.

"I know how to solve this." Solomon whispered something to Tèa, who took off like a shot. "Give me just a second to get what I need."

"Who're you?" the shorter man asked.

"Solomon's the name, and gambling's my game. I used to travel the world searching for the excitement of the next opponent, the next challenge, testing my luck and loving every minute of it. From Paris to Cairo, New York to New Delhi, if there was an extreme game, I was there. Might've been a few years, but you boys won't mind if I deal myself in on this action, will you?"

"Grandpa!" Yugi gasped. "You can't-"

"Oh can't I?" Turning, Solomon accepted the box Tèa thrust out at him and opened it up, seating the Duel Disk on his arm. From a pocket in his overalls he slid his deck into the machine. "I'm pretty sure you two aren't official Duelists, so it won't matter if I'm Yugi's tag team partner. Come on, grandson. Let's show them not to mess around with the Moto family."

For a breath of time Yugi felt disoriented. _Was it like this?_ Then his jaw firmed and he gave Solomon a decisive nod. _It is now._ "You got it, Grandpa. -Let's Duel!"

"I'll go first." Solomon drew five cards, studied them a moment, then set two cards. "This in Defense Mode, and one back here for you to worry about, Humpty Dumpty."

"My name is Lumis!"

"Lumis, schumis. Your name's the only thing about you that's bright."

"Grr! You old fart! You should've stayed in the Bingo hall."

"I'll play one card here as well-" Yugi placed a card in the Spell/Trap Zone. "And I'll summon Beta, the Magnet Warrior, in Defense mode. That's my turn. -So, what's your name, if he's Lumis?"

"I'm Umbra." The taller man nodded. "I'll begin by summoning Shining Abyss. Your turn, Lumis."

"I'll set these two cards and end my turn."

* * *

"Mr. Kaiba!" The technician spun around in her chair as Kaiba and Mokuba walked into the Battle City Command Center. "We have a report of a Duelist whose deck contains a God card in battle. It's a tag-team Duel, but three of the four aren't registered as tournament participants."

"What? Hey, that's cheating! Shut 'em down."

"Wait, Mokuba. -Who's the registered Duelist?"

"Yugi Moto, sir."

 _Yugi! In another Duel already? I have to get there. I highly doubt any Duelist except myself has the skill necessary to take on Yugi, let alone deal with him now that he has a God Card, but I'm not taking chances. Slifer and the final victory in our rivalry are within my grasp._ Aloud Kaiba said, "Let the Duel go on. I'm headed out there, Mokuba. I'll deal with this personally."

"Sure thing, Seto."

Kaiba immediately headed for the roof, where a KC copter was waiting for him. "Lock in on the signal being relayed from Central," he ordered. "That's our destination."

"Right away, Mr. Kaiba."

As they soared above the city, Kaiba drummed his fingers impatiently on the seat arm. _Don't you dare lose to whoever you're Dueling, Yugi. The honor of defeating you and claiming your God Card is all mine. I'm going to prove to you once and for all that your stupid reliance on friendship and the so-called Heart of the Cards is nothing but smoke and mirrors._

* * *

Yugi wiped beads of sweat out of his eyes. _These two are trouble. They weren't kidding when they said their decks were perfectly synchronized. With Mask of Restrict on the field, we can't Tribute to summon more powerful creatures. I know there's a card in our decks that can help us; the problem is, can we get to it in time?_

"Now that I have Des Guardia on the field, it's time to choose which of you to wipe out. Which should it be, I wonder?" Lumis studied the battlefield. "I think I'm going to get rid of you, old man. I'm getting tired of your comments."

Solomon chuckled. "The truth really hurts, doesn't it? You two haven't even begun to snag a clue. Your teamwork strategy's a strong one, I admit, but there's one mistake you're making, and it's a big one. Nearly as big as your blobby marshmallow butt."

"Shut up! Des Guardia, attack his face-down monster!"

"Lumis! Wait!" Umbra turned to his partner. "I get an equal say in this! We're a team!"

"It's my turn, Umbra, and I decide who I attack. Go Des Guardia!"

"Not so fast. Meet my Golem Sentry! He's got a special effect that you just triggered. I'm allowed to target an opponent's monster and return it to their hand when the Sentry is Flip Summoned. Des Guardia goes back into your hand, which leaves you wide open. Take him down, Yugi!"

 _Way to go, Grandpa! Now I get it. You've been baiting Lumis all along, trying to get him upset enough to act without thinking. That gave me the opening I need to put these two away for good._ Drawing a card, Yugi looked at it. _And this is the card I needed to FIT that opening._ "I play Gamma, the Magnet Warrior. You may be keeping us from sacrificing to summon, but there are other ways of getting powerful creatures to the field.

"Now I trigger my Warriors' special effect- Monster Transform! Reassemble into Valkyrion, The Magna Warrior! His 3500 Attack Points are enough to wipe you out- and since Umbra is the monster powerhouse of your team, I'm betting he doesn't have a single spell or trap card to shield you, Lumis."

"And that's the mistake you made," Grandpa said as Lumis's Life Points plummeted. "Lumis, you concentrated on magic and traps; your partner on monsters. A deck that's too one-sided will never show its true potential. Just what I taught Yugi's friend Joey."

"All right, you two! You promised you'd tell me where my friends are if we won. Start talking! Where is Marik? Where are Joey, Tristan and Bakura?" Yugi grabbed the front of Lumis's robes, shook him. "Tell me!"

"Down at the docks. Berth number-" Lumis stiffened. "No, no Master, please Master, don't!" He and Umbra both clutched their heads, screamed, and dropped lifelessly to the pavement.

"Oh-" Tèa shuddered and buried her face in Solomon's shoulder.

 _/...Chosen?/_

 _/Aiseru! Marik's kidnapped the guys, and I don't know how to find them. He said we only had till sunset, and the sun's going down now! They're somewhere at the docks, but how can we search the whole port before it's too late?!/_

 _/Above us!/_

"What-?" Yugi looked up as a gust of wind hit the trio. "That's a- helicopter?"

"KaibaCorp. Looks like Kaiba's back for that Duel after all." Solomon shook his head with a grunt. "That young man has a serious obsession with you."

"Looks like you're feeling better, Yugi," Kaiba observed as he stepped off the landing strut. "So it's time for you and I to see which God is more powerful."

"No, it isn't. I don't have time for you, Kaiba. My friends are in danger, and I have to get to them."

"Are you forgetting my Battle City rules? Wherever you are in the city limits, if two Duelists meet face to face, you must battle. Failure to comply with the rules earns you a disqualification."

"Kaiba, that's it. I'm sick and tired of you thinking you're the only one who matters, the only one running the show. You may be the head of KaibaCorp, but here's a news flash: I'm not your employee and I don't belong to you. You have no right to order me around, threaten me, blackmail me, or manipulate me into giving you what you want. I've been patient with you for years because I know that somewhere, deep down inside you, there's a decent human being. I've seen him. But enough is enough, so listen really closely. Joey and Tristan and Bakura mean more to me than any tournament ever could, so go ahead and disqualify me, _because I don't give a damn. Now MOVE."_


	16. Chapter 16

Kaiba looked at Yugi, struggling to speak and failing. _Where did that fire come from? Is that what I've been chasing all this time? The one whose will was as strong, no, stronger... than my own?_

 _My heart's hammering-! What's this feeling?! Happiness?! How can I possibly be happy about this nobody telling me off? How DARE he! I'm Seto Kaiba! I have everything-power, influence, riches. He's nothing. NOTHING!_

 _...But if he's nothing... why does he matter so much?_

 _Why would I give anything to fight at his side?_

 _Snap out of it, Seto!_ He ran a hand into his hair and pulled hard. "All right," he snarled, "let's make a deal. If I help you find those loser friends of yours, you'll agree to Duel me on the spot as soon as they're safe. The stakes will be our God Cards, your title as King of Games... and your promise to never Duel again as long as you live."

"How can you even think about asking that at a time like this?!" Tèa glared at Kaiba. "Have you forgotten what Yugi did for you at Duelist Kingdom? You and your brother would still be locked away in Pegasus's castle while he took over your precious corporation! You owe Yugi your life, _you son of a bitch_ -"

 _"Tèa."_

Tèa stopped short. It was her turn to look at Yugi speechlessly. He was smiling at her, but his eyes-

Oh, they were Yugi's eyes, but-

 _Wait, am I going crazy? Is he... he's taller! I didn't even notice before, but since he got out of the hospital... no... even in the hospital, when I hugged him, there was something different, I was just so thrilled to see him I didn't care._

 _He looks... older. Not a little boy any more._

 _He looks strong._

 _He looks like Yami._

"Tèa, it's okay." Yugi nodded at Kaiba. "If that's what it takes. You help us find Joey and the others, and as soon as I'm sure they're safe, you'll get your Duel with me. If I win, I get your God Card and your locator card- No. More than that. You advance me to the finals straight away. If I lose, you take Slifer, I publicly name you King of Games, then I retire. Permanently. I'll never Duel in a tournament again as long as I live. Those are my terms, take 'em or leave 'em."

Kaiba folded his arms and nodded. "I'll take them. Everyone get in the copter. Mokuba can track the location of any Duel Disk through our satellite uplink from Command Central. As long as Wheeler still has his Disk on, or if it's nearby, we can find him."

"Just hurry." Yugi took a window seat.

Touching the comlink on his collar, Kaiba said, "Mokuba, I need GPS coordinates for Joey Wheeler's Duel Disk, stat. I also want you to scramble a security team and have them on the way to meet us as soon as we reach those coordinates."

"I'm on it, big bro."

Yugi closed his eyes. _/Yami, I'm sorry./_

 _/What for, Yugi?/_

 _/All this time I've wondered how you could break someone's mind. I mean, the times you did, they deserved it; not arguing that. Still, when it was done, you never seemed bothered by it. You never seemed to give it a second thought. I understand now how easy it is to just want to take hold of someone's mind and... this isn't like me. I'm not sure I like how much this isn't like me./_

 _/It IS like you. Even now, you don't hate Marik. You hate what he's doing, your anger at his callousness and cruelty is burning like a star. But I can feel in your heart as well your sorrow, your pity, your bewilderment, that anyone COULD be so cruel. If he gave you the least indication that some good remained, you would reach out to it. It isn't Marik you want to shatter. It's the evil that drives him. I'm far less forgiving than you, and as a Pharaoh it's my DUTY to judge all who come before me without bias to either side./_ Yami put a hand on Yugi's shoulder. _/That being said, you were magnificent. You didn't just stand up to Kaiba; you made him back down, even if he tried to turn it to his advantage. The crown well suits you, chosen./_

 _/Crown?/_

 _/Princes generally wear crowns to show their status./_

 _/I'm not a Prince!/_

 _/Yes, you are. You're my chosen, my consort. The consort of a king is automatically elevated to noble status, and I have said you shall be a Prince. As it is said, so it is written. As it is written, so it's done./_

 _/I didn't! Aiseru, you KNOW I didn't expect that!/_

 _/Of course you didn't. The only thing on your mind was me. I give you a crown because it's the only thing left to give you. All that I am you already own, and joyously I rest in your keeping./_ A wistful smile. _/Would that I could set it on your brow today for all this world to see. It's only in the Field of Dreams, though, that my city, my people, will welcome you, adore and worship you as I do. We'll go there someday, after a long and wonderful lifetime together. You have a place there, now. At my side./_

Yugi turned away, hiding the wetness welling in his eyes. _/Is that why?/_

 _/It's one reason why. To me the more important reason is, you deserve it. I've never seen a soul so courageous and kind as yours before. Had you lived in my time, you could've been a Pharaoh in your own right./_

 _/I'd rather... be your Prince./_

 _/And so you are, and ever will be./_

"Heads up, people." Kaiba turned around from the front. "We have a lock on Wheeler's Disk. It's stationary on Dock 32, near berth 3. It's coming up on our left side now."

Tèa peered out the window. "I don't see- wait! It's Joey! He's standing right there! I don't see anyone else around."

"Maybe he got away from Marik's men?" Solomon asked. "But if he did, why didn't he call any of us?"

"Maybe they took his phone." Yugi scooted over to join Tèa. "It's weird, though. He's not moving, not waving." A knot formed in his stomach. _Something's not right._

 _("I've planted a bit of myself in his mind, so I can control him utterly whenever I want. Such is the power of my Millennium Item, the Millennium Rod.")_

 _Oh no..._

As soon as the copter landed, Yugi jumped out the door and ran towards Joey. "Joey!"

Dull hazel eyes tracked slowly over in Yugi's direction. There was no life, no reaction, in them at all; they might've been a mannequin's eyes for all the animation they held. The knot in Yugi's stomach grew into spikes. "Joey...?"


	17. Chapter 17

Abruptly expression flooded into Joey's face, a mocking, gloating look completely alien to anything Joey Wheeler would feel. "Hello, little vessel."

"Marik!"

"In the flesh... heh... borrowed flesh, I should say. Your friend makes an excellent pawn, don't you think? And even a pawn can capture a king."

"Let him go! I'm here now. You don't need to keep him captive any longer. And where are my other friends?"

"Follow me. I'll show you. Oh- let me warn you, those people with you are free to watch, but if anyone tries to interfere, I'll kill all three of my prisoners. You wouldn't like it if I ordered Joey to strangle himself to death in front of your eyes, would you?"

Yugi turned, holding out a hand towards Kaiba, Grandpa and Tèa. "Everyone! Marik's controlling Joey. He says if you try to interfere he'll kill Joey, Tris and Bakura. Whatever happens, please don't get involved!"

 _/Chosen, he means to Duel you. Let me fight him./_

 _/How can we? He's going to use Joey! How can we fight our best friend?/_

 _/I... don't know. But we can't give into him either./_

"Come along, vessel. Time is wasting."

The quartet followed Marik-Joey down to the end of the pier. An anchor was suspended in mid-air from a rigging, chains dangling down on opposite sides of a gap sawed in the wood. Marik walked over, picked up a chain, and snapped the manacle at its end around his ankle. "We're going to have a rematch," he said, "a very special rematch. Be good enough to put the other manacle around your ankle, little Yugi."

 _/NO! Chosen, you can't do that!/_

 _/I have to./_ Yugi did as ordered. "Now what?"

"The terms of this Duel are simple. You have thirty minutes to finish the Duel. At the end of that time, the latch holding the anchor will open and it'll fall through that hole, dragging both of you into the sea to drown. The only way for one of you to survive is to win. When you do, if you look to your left- see the metal box? It holds a key. When one Duelist's Life Points go to zero, the other Duelist's box will unlock. You then have thirty seconds to get your key and release yourself before the anchor drops.

"You see, it's all up to you, little Yugi. You and the Pharaoh can continue in Battle City, if you're willing to sacrifice your friend, or you can let him live and I get what I want: your God Card... and your death." Marik laughed. "Oh, and your other two friends? Right over there." He pointed at a bulky metal bench to which Bakura and Tristan were chained. "Ah ah ah! Don't move that way. I have some cargo rather delicately poised over their heads. As I said earlier, if anyone interferes, they all die. I'll crush two of them and send the third to the bottom of the harbor."

"Marik, you _bastard_!"

"Such language. I thought you were the nice one."

Yugi trembled. "Playing a game like this... playing with people's lives... do you enjoy it?"

"Why yes. Yes I do. Making others feel the suffering and torment I've felt my whole life long pleases me more than you could ever understand. When I see you down there, choking your life away, cursing the Pharaoh with your final breath-" Marik pointed at the water- "I'll finally be free."

A blinding fury, only part of it his, rose up in Yugi. He could feel Yami raging, wordlessly demanding to be given control. Reaching up, he wrapped a hand around the Puzzle's chain and took a deep breath, calming himself. _/Yami... listen to me. I have to try to save Joey. I think I can reach him. He has to be there; I just have to help him find the strength to throw Marik out./_

 _/Chosen... if you fail.../_

 _/I won't fail. I'll do whatever it takes. Just... if it comes to the end, and I lose... stay in the Puzzle. Don't watch./_

The faintest pressure of phantom arms wrapping around him from behind. _/No, Yugi. Whatever happens, we share it. That was our decision, our choice, to let nothing part us. We will see this through to the end together, and I will be with you to the last./_

 _/I love you SO MUCH.../_

 _/As I love you. Let's not keep Joey waiting, shall we? I'm sure he's tired of being sidelined./_

Yugi nodded, took a deep breath, and started to reach for his deck to draw his opening cards. A finger's span away, his arm stopped. Bewildered, he stared at it. _What in the world...? /Yami?/_

 _/Someone is here./_

 _/What do you mean, someone's here?/_

 _/I sense a great power-AH!/_

A sudden wind swirled around Yugi, cool and crisp and invigorating; it set every nerve in him atingle. Involuntarily his head snapped back, eyes widening as he stared into the darkening sky, where a silver orb hung above the horizon.

 _The moon..._

A touch on his cheek. Yugi could feel the backs of slim fingers brushing his skin affectionately. Then a young boy's voice sounded in his mind, solemn and excited at the same time:

 _Itey ta ehtuk chiabsnef ntek, ohir Itey ntek laru. Xnewawy ona heswet, ohir irt zas wasur nety ntek ednit hur mitw iafo emi Atem. Tayek maa ren twe doi ntek metaw uimo xoto aiutu qeniri: Ihmes, ohir khefte ntek mai nis tayek isbet, wi poibo sebah emii rosweet, zas Maki shi elay, zas Sa iny Khonsu shi emi nayru!_

Marik paused. "What are you playing at?! Go on, draw your cards! Or do you want me to end this-AHH!" He screamed and flung up an arm as Yugi's form exploded with a pure white aura that bathed everything for yards around, chasing back the night. "S-stop! The light-" Marik's voice altered, becoming deeper, more gutteral, barely human. "This light! It blinds me! It burns!"

On the other side, Tèa screamed also, instinctively hiding her face before slowly peeking out through her fingers. "That's not... it's not that bright. It, it doesn't hurt. It's... beautiful."

"Like moonlight," breathed Solomon.

"Behold the One Who Lights the Darkness!" Seto grabbed his throat. "What the hell am I saying!?"

A sense of calm washed over all three. They watched as Yugi slowly walked around the gap in the planking towards the shaking form of his friend, bent over and took his hands. "Joey," he said, gently, coaxingly. "Joey, it's me."

"Yu-Yugi?" Joey looked up, eyes wide and frightened. "It's in my head, he's in dere, I can't get 'im out, he's gonna make me watch ya die-"

"Yes you can, Joey. You're stronger than that. I believe in you. Kick him to the curb, buddy. You can do it. I'll show you how. I know the way. You ready?"

"Yeah..."

"On three. One... two... two and a half-"

"Two an' three-quarters-" Joey laughed. "And THREE!" He stood up. As he did something, some formless mass, a dark mist that held a shape so briefly that it was impossible to make out, fell away from him and vanished.

Without taking his eyes off Joey, Yugi said, "Dark Magician, come forth."

Another swirl of light, this one taking a shape they all recognized. The tall figure walked-

Walked, not floated, his footsteps audible in the quiet-

To kneel just behind Yugi.

"Please release us from these chains, and take care of that thing hanging over my other friends?"

The Dark Magician nodded and rose. With careless grace he twirled his staff aloft, pointing it first towards the anchor mount, then swinging it towards the cargo flat above Tristan and Bakura. Energy flared outward in two bolts which struck home and instantly disintegrated what they touched. Turning, he bowed to Yugi before disappearing.

With a sweet smile, Yugi looked up into Joey's face. "I love you, Joey. You're my best friend forever." The white light surrounding him began to fade, and as it did Yugi pitched forward, collapsing. Joey grabbed for him.

Felt other arms joining his supporting Yugi.

Looked up to see, just for a moment, that face so like and unlike Yugi's. "Yami?" he whispered.

 _Joey... take care of Yugi for me..._ the faintest whisper in return before the form was gone.

"NO!" The scream drew everyone's attention. Near the gangplank of the ship closest to them stood a young man, his blond hair disheveled, pale eyes glaring hatred at them all. "You can't do this! I refuse to accept this!" He pointed a shaking hand at Yugi and Joey. "You can't have the strength to break my control. And you- vessel! You were supposed to die! Why didn't you die in that fire? My plan was foolproof!"

"That voice... is that... Marik? The real Marik?" Tèa shook her head. "He's just a kid... like us..."

"Yes, you stupid bitch! I'm Marik!" Marik bared his teeth at Tèa. "Now shut up!" He turned back to Yugi, taking a half-step in that direction. "I had it all figured out. I made Keith Howard my puppet; it wasn't hard. After Duelist Kingdom he was utterly broken. I sent him to steal your Puzzle and trap you in that warehouse, set it afire- you don't think someone carelessly left those chemicals there, did you? He put them there for me, and when you died I would've claimed the Puzzle and reassembled it myself. The Pharaoh would've been bound to me, not you. Then I would've leeched away his power as his soul was tormented and devoured by-" he stopped. Gagged. Dropped to his knees. "N-no," he said, voice suddenly pleading. "I did everything you asked, you promised I'd have my revenge, we'd build a world of darkness together- Stop! PLEASE!"

"If you've got a lockpick stashed somewhere," Tristan muttered to Kage as he pulled on his manacles, "now is the time, bro."

"What do you think I've been working on, my tan?"

 _Useless boy. Pathetic shell of flesh._ It was as if the ground were speaking; a timbre so deep it vibrated in their bones, as raw and jagged as stones grinding together. _Your usefulness to me is ended. I need a more capable vessel if I'm to unlock the gate and gain my spirit's full freedom. Fortunately, I see a perfect candidate close at hand._

Marik's body grew rigid, then arched, his face contorting into a look of pure agony as his mouth opened wide. Darkness, oily and thick, poured out of him, like smoke and liquid both, swirling up into the air.

"It can't be-!" Kage grabbed Tristan's arm. "We have to get out of here."

Too late. Marik's arm rose jerkily, the Millennium Rod clasped in one hand. It drew back, then lobbed the Item straight at Kaiba, who caught it reflexively. The second his fingers closed on it, the darkness arrowed at him, striking him in the chest and swirling around him, sinking in wherever bare flesh showed. He flailed about, trying to break away, then fell to the planking in convulsions.

"What are you fools waiting for?!" Kage shouted. "We have to leave before it takes full control of him! RUN!" He started past Marik; paused; cursed under his breath and yanked the other boy to his feet. "Don't make me regret this."

"I'm with you." Tristan raced over and scooped up Tèa, tossing her across his shoulders. "Sorry, babe, but you know I'm better at the quarter-mile than you."

"Looks good ta me." Joey cradled Yugi in his arms. "Let's go for a run, huh, bud?"

"Yugi." Kaiba's voice, but with a deeper echo. "Little Yugi. This changes nothing. I will devour you both. I will secure the Eight Keys and open the Gate, and my spirit will be liberated, and the God Cards can't save you any more now than they did five thousand years ago. So run. Run to the corners of the earth. I now possess Seto Kaiba- and KaibaCorp is everywhere. How long do you think you can evade me?" Kaiba began to laugh as the group fled. _"How long can you escape the grasp of Zorc Necrophades?!"_

=== END OF PART ONE ===

===TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO: ONE LIGHT===

(Note: Yes, there isn't a translation of that long Egyptian speech. Don't worry, all will be made clear in the next story.)


End file.
